Perceived Barriers to Asthma Therapy in Ethno-Cultural Communities: The Role of Culture, Beliefs and Social Support

Background : Adherence to therapy is integral to successfully managingasthma, which requires comprehension of what, when, and how to use medicationand diligence in following management plan. Asthma patients fromethnic minority groups have more morbidity and reported filling their prescriptionsless often. Limited information is available in Canadian literatureon ethnic differences in their perceptions of asthma management. We aimedto document patient perceived adherence to asthma therapy among targetedethno-cultural groups. Methods : We evaluated perceived barriers to therapyadherence, including: cultural beliefs and practices, patient/care-providercommunication, self-management knowledge, and medication costs. Weconducted a cross sectional study and interviewed 85 Chinese or Punjabispeakingadult asthma patients. Results : Lack of sufficient instructions fromphysicians, language/communication barriers, lack of skills on how to use inhalers,and high medication costs and medication side effects were most reportedbarriers to proper self-management practices. Most participants livedwith others in the same household and reported high social support fromhome caregivers. The influence of family on self-management practices wasobvious. Conclusion: Better understanding of patient needs, provision ofculturally and linguistically appropriate education, and inclusion of homecaregivers into the management practices are necessary to improve asthmaoutcomes in Chinese and Punjabi communities.