Self-Management Educational Program for Improving Asthmatic Older Adults' Behaviors

Abstract

Self-management can be used to live a more effective and efficient daily life. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of self-management educational program on improving the asthmatic older adults' behaviors. Design: A quasi experimental design was used. Setting: This study was conducted at chest outpatient clinics in Benha University Hospital and Benha Health Insurance Hospital. Sample: A purposive sample of 53 asthmatic older adults was chosen from total 229. Tool: A structured interviewing questionnaire to assess asthmatic older adults' socio-demographic characteristics, history of asthma, characteristics of asthma, and their knowledge related to asthma, also their self-management behaviors to manage asthma. Results: Findings of this study revealed that less than three quarters of the studied subjects were females and had asthma duration more than 10 years, their knowledge and self-management behaviors regarding asthma were improved post program with highly statistically significant differences between total knowledge and total self-management behaviors pre and post program implementation (p<0.001). Conclusions: This study concluded that the asthma self-management program is effective for improving older adults' self-management behaviors regarding asthma. Recommendation: Continues of self-management program for asthmatic older adults focusing on management behaviors especially asthmatic triggers prevention, and asthma attack management. Also, the study recommended that, periodic refreshing course and training for nurses in chest outpatient clinics about chest diseases especially asthma is needed to take active role in educating asthmatic older adults how to manage and control asthma.