PREDICTION OF HIGH-RISK ILLNESS BEHAVIOR IN PATIENTS WITH BRONCHIAL-ASTHMA

The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing high-risk il lness behaviour in patients with bronchial asthma. High-risk illness b ehaviour was defined as 1. noncompliance with antiasthmatic medication and 2. delaying or avoiding medical help when facing airways deterior ation or severe attacks. 150 patients with bronchial asthma were inves tigated; 60 of them had participated in the structured Asthma Treatmen t and Teaching Programme (ATTP), 90 had not taken part in such a progr amme by then. Using structural equation models, lack of emotional supp ort by a key figure, poor doctor-patient relationship, and a negative cortisone image were identified as predictors of high-risk illness beh aviour in patients who had attended ATTP while in patients without par ticipation in a treatment and teaching programme, only a negative cort isone image was predictive of this criterion.