Research in America has uncovered that asthma suffers that used self-management programs reduced the amount of times that they had emergency visits and an improved quality of life. By self-monitoring their own condition, those with the disorder were able to look after themselves, proving to be both cost-effective and manageable.
The tests studied 84 individuals that used the program, who used diaries in order to track their progress for over 24 weeks.
Susan L. Janson, DNSc, RN, NP, a UCSF, the author that began the study and clinical specialist in pulmonary disease explains, “Mortality from asthma is preventable. However, many patients struggle to manage symptoms on their own and often end up visiting emergency departments. Our study indicates that in a clinical setting, personalized self-management education coupled with self-monitoring may be a cost-effective way to empower patients to better control their disease.”
In acquainting asthma sufferers with an independent means of looking after themselves, the test has shown that their quality of life and their mortality rate could be improved by a significant majority. Considered an allergy on many levels, asthma is inflammation of the lungs, which thickens and blocks the tube between the mouth and nose to the lungs, making it difficult to breathe. With a self-monitoring program, the sufferer is able to alter and observe their unique and individual condition on their own terms, in which the reactions are specific, rather than extensive.
Janson says, “People understandably are reluctant to get rid of a pet or spend money on dust mite covers for their beds without knowing if animals or dust mites are aggravating the disease. A personalized approach helps patients develop skills specific to their own allergies.”
With self-management programs, sufferers of all ages can take advantage of their own symptoms, with the ability to finally control their lives, whilst also reducing hospital costs to take care of the demanding disorder.
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