Asthma is chronic inflammatory, airway hyper-responsiveness, reversible disorder which occurs at any age, and requires special attention towards management of drug therapy. There is lack of patients awareness in having the complete knowledge about the disease, attitude towards disease management, medication adherence behavior and treatment outcomes. The objective of the present study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of the patients towards their disease in improving the outcome in asthma patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS:This was a prospective, observational, questionnaire and hospital based study in a tertiary care teaching hospital at two different centers for a period of 12 months. The data was collected by face to face interview of outpatients and inpatients of Pulmonary Medicine and Internal Medicine departments by administering the questionnaires for the assessment of knowledge, attitude and adherence towards the bronchial asthma disease. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients with confirmed diagnosis of bronchial asthma were included in this study, out of which male patients were 87(54.5%) and female patients 73(45.5%). On an average, each patient had already visited 3 doctors prior to coming to us. Out of 160 patients, 68% patients were ignorant regarding disease etiology, and another 54% patients were reluctant to accept the diagnosis of asthma. About 88% had the knowledge that lungs are affected by this disease. Another 44% opined that the medicines used for asthma can cause airways narrowing on long turn. Attitude of the patients varied greatly among the patients in this study. Regarding precipitating factors, 46% parents attributed the disease exacerbations due to multiple causes. The compliance rate in using inhalers for asthma was low (60%), and many patients stopped medications in spite of proper advice regarding inhalational therapy. CONCLUSION: This study concludes that the assessment of knowledge and attitude towards the disease of bronchial asthma patients is low. Controller medications and aerosol therapy is underused and unnecessarily blamed. Awareness raising strategies are needed in community. Patient education program should augment awareness about disease, eliminate social stigma, and misconcepts in the community regarding bronchial asthma.

Parthenium hysterophorus is a deep rooted three to four feet tall tree at fully flowered stage. The origin of the weed is Caribbean Islands and it can withstand any adverse climate. It is found all over India. It bears white flowers which in turn bears numerous seeds which disperse due to wind or water. July and august is the peak season for these weeds. The parthenium weed produces as much as 3,000 million pollen grains per square meter during the flowering season. They may cause allergic type reactions like asthma, skin rashes, puffy eyes, peeling skin, eczema, running nose, swelling and itching of mouth and nose etc. The main cause of parthenium allergy is direct or indirect contact with the parthenium pollen. Here we have reviewed the harmful effects of Parthenium on human beings.

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