ABSTRACT

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the experience of Saudi participants in managing their asthma and their perspectives about using future pharmacy-based services for asthma management. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adult Saudis with asthma or those who were a carer of a child with asthma. Participants were recruited from medical practices and community centres in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Verbatim transcribed interviews were inductively analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-three Saudi participants with asthma or caring for those with asthma took part in interviews which lasted on average for 25 min. Most participants did not have well-controlled asthma. Thematic analyses of the interview transcripts highlighted four key emergent themes: participants experience of asthma, participants’ beliefs and perceptions about health and medicines, perception of health professionals and advocacy and social support. Many participants expressed an emotional burden in their lived experience of asthma. Lack of self-management skills were evident in participants’ reluctance to make decisions in emergency situations. Some participants had strong beliefs about using herbal medicines rather than western medicines. Using social media or consulting with their family members with asthma was a common preference, rather than consulting healthcare professionals. Participants’ were rather unclear about pharmacy asthma care services and reported not having experienced such services in their pharmacies. Conclusion: Inadequate self-management behaviours may affect the level of asthma control in people with asthma in Saudi Arabia. Improved primary care models with extensive focus on asthma education are needed to relieve the over-reliance on tertiary care help-seeking models that are currently the norm. Current evidence-based information also needs to be prepared in patient friendly formats and disseminated widely. Community pharmacists would need to be trained and skilled inpatient engagement and would have to win the public trust for viable asthma services provision.

摘要

目标：本研究的目的是探讨沙特参与者在管理哮喘方面的经验，以及他们对使用未来基于药房的服务进行哮喘管理的看法。方法：对患有哮喘的成年沙特人或照顾哮喘儿童的人进行半结构化访谈。参与者是从沙特阿拉伯利雅得的医疗机构和社区中心招募的。使用主题分析对逐字转录的访谈进行归纳分析。结果：23 名患有哮喘或照顾哮喘患者的沙特参与者参加了平均持续 25 分钟的访谈。大多数参与者的哮喘没有得到很好的控制。访谈记录的主题分析强调了四个关键的新兴主题：参与者的哮喘经历，参与者对健康和药物的信念和看法、对卫生专业人员的看法以及宣传和社会支持。许多参与者在他们的哮喘生活经历中表达了情感负担。参与者不愿在紧急情况下做出决定，这表明缺乏自我管理技能。一些参与者坚信使用草药而不是西药。使用社交媒体或咨询患有哮喘的家人是一种普遍的偏好，而不是咨询医疗保健专业人员。参与者对药房哮喘护理服务不太清楚，并报告说他们的药房没有体验过此类服务。结论：不充分的自我管理行为可能会影响沙特阿拉伯哮喘患者的哮喘控制水平。需要改进初级保健模式，并广泛关注哮喘教育，以缓解目前普遍存在的对三级保健求助模式的过度依赖。当前的循证信息也需要以患者友好的格式准备并广泛传播。社区药剂师需要经过培训和熟练的住院患者参与，并且必须赢得公众对可行的哮喘服务提供的信任。