Malin Axelsson1, Linda Ekerljung2 and Bo Lundbäck2
1Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden, 2Krefting Research Centre, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Introduction: Self- efficacy i.e. confidence in ability to handle challenges in everyday life could influence how individuals suffering from long-term disease such as asthma manage the disease, the medication treatment and symptoms, which in turn could influence both disease progression and health-related quality of life (HRQL).

Aim: to explore the function of concerns with asthma medication and asthma control as mediators between self-efficacy and HRQL.

Method: Adult asthmatics (n=479) between 19 and 78 years selected from West Sweden Asthma Study completed questionnaires on self-efficacy, concerns with asthma medication, asthma control and HRQL. Two path models with self-efficacy as independent variable, mental and physical HRQL as dependent variables and concerns with asthma medication and asthma control as mediators were conducted.

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Results: In both path models, self-efficacy was negatively associated with concerns with asthma medication (β= -.130, p=0.005) and positively associated with asthma control (β =.100, p=0.027). The effect of concerns with asthma medication on both mental and physical HRQL went through that of asthma control (β=-.138, p=0.003). Both concerns with asthma medication and asthma control mediated the effect of self-efficacy on both mental HRQL (β =.132, p=0.002) and physical HRQL (β =.455, p=0.001).

Conclusion: Adult asthmatics need support to strengthen their self-efficacy and assistance to overcome their concerns with the asthma medication in order to improve their asthma control. Better self-efficacy and reduced concerns with asthma medication will increase asthma control, which in turn most likely will have a positive effect on both mental and physical HRQL in adult asthmatics.