A community-based cross-sectional study on knowledge, attitude, and perceptions about asthma among healthy adults in rural South India.

Abstract

Evidence suggests that proper knowledge and perceptions about asthma result in a positive correlation with compliance with medications and regular medical follow-up. Assessing the level of knowledge, attitude, and perception (KAP) in the community is essential for planning public health interventions. There is a lacuna on community-based KAP study on asthma in rural India, as most of the existing evidence is from hospital-based studies in an urban setting. We interviewed 280 healthy adults from 14 villages in South India using the Chicago community asthma survey-32 (CCAS-32) questionnaire. We noted the frequency distribution of responses to the questions and scored KAP on symptoms, triggers, and treatment, and performed bivariate and multivariate analyses. The mean age was 37.7 years ranging from 18 to 62 years. Almost half of them (47%) had primary or middle school education. 40.7% and 57.9% believed severe headache and tightness of chest were symptoms of asthma, respectively. Similarly, 38.2% and 48.4% thought asthma was a hereditary and contagious disease, respectively, whereas 41.8% of perceived asthma medications could be addictive. Having witnessed "patients with asthma" was associated with KAP on symptoms and triggers while younger age and having a relative with asthma were associated with KAP on treatment independently. Participants who had relatives with asthma were three times [(OR 3.04; 95% (1.5-6.1)] more likely to have good KAP compared to their counterparts. Asthma knowledge and perceptions are sparse in rural India. Adequate investments in public awareness are the need of the hour.