The Health and Wellbeing Study: An Investigation into the Perceived Health and Wellbeing of Irish Adults Living with Asthma in Ireland Dr Mary Hughes, Ms June Considine, Dr Elaine Lehane, Prof Eileen Savage.

Background Asthma most common respiratory disease in Ireland (Asthma Society of Ireland 2014, CSO 2008) Increased morbidity, poor control (Price et al. 2014) National Clinical Programme for Asthma Healthy Ireland Framework (2013)

Defining Health and Wellbeing Health- more than the absence of disease or infirmity –Focus is on physical functionality –Acknowledges presence of chronic illness Wellbeing- positive psychological functioning in a meaningful life –Differs across the lifespan –Positive emotions –Life satisfaction –Control –Social support and loving relationships

Empirical Studies Focus on functional status or symptom measurement Illness focused enquiry Paucity of data specific to people living with asthma measuring social support and relationships

Methodology The aim of this study was to investigate the perceived health and wellbeing of those living with asthma in Ireland. The objectives of the study were to: investigate how adults living with asthma in Ireland perceive their health and wellbeing explore how asthma severity affects the everyday life of adults living with asthma in Ireland investigate whether there is a relationship between the concepts of health and the wellbeing in those living with asthma distinguish how perceptions of health and perceptions of wellbeing affect one another

Sample Sampling –Sample size power calculation for 200 participants –Advertised on social media –Adults over 18 –Asthma for more than 1 year –English proficiency –IT proficiency

Data Collection Online survey (n=214) 33 items plus demographics –Short form Medical outcomes Survey (Stewart el al. 1989) –8 Items from P105 Health and Wellbeing Survey (Price et al. 2014) –CSO Format Demographics Dillman’s Principles (2007)

Data Collection Health- likert scale –self—rated health –ability to execute daily activities –physical functioning Wellbeing- likert scale –Psychological wellbeing –Social support –Healthy behaviours

Data Collection RAND health scoring for interpretation and comparison of scales (Hays et al. 1995) Reliability and validity –Pilot study (n=10) –Face validity –Construct validity –External validity –Crohnbachs alpha Health (0.892) Wellbeing (0.858) SPSS (version 22) Ethical Approval (CREC)

Findings 339 respondents- 80% completion for Inclusion, filter question (n=214) Female 76% (n=162) Age varied and older Coexisting illness 33% (n=71) Fulltime employment 47% (n=101)

Perceptions of Asthma Severity

Source of Information

Trustworthiness of Information

Health Physical Health- limited performance (82%, N=175) Extreme limitation 5% (n=11) 20% unable to work due to health (n=40) Comorbidities found to have significant effect on overall health scores Highest mean scores for those in employment for profit(mean(sd) 70.8 (20.3)) Gender, current age, age at diagnosis not significant on mean health scores (p=0.801, p=0.989, p=0.184)

Wellbeing 69% reported very good (n=74) or good (n=73) wellbeing Depressive symptoms absent in 39%(n=84) 64% in social and loving relationships all of the time (n=82)most of the time (n=56) 10% more limited than their peers (n=21) Depression found to have significant influence on wellbeing scores(p=<0.001) Employment status significant influence on wellbeing(p=0.004) Significance of perceived severity on wellbeing scores

Maintaining Health and Wellbeing Lifestyle Choices Sleep Quality Physical Exercise Tobacco Consumption Alcohol Consumption Pets

Correlation of Overall Health and Wellbeing Scores

Recommendations Implementation of National Clinical Programme for Asthma Strategy Initiative for Asthma Society of Ireland New Policy Guidelines on –Physical limitations –Psychological health –Lifestyle choices

References Asthma Society of Ireland (2014) The Case for Change: Implementing the National Clinical Programme for Asthma, Dublin. Central Statistics Office (2008) Quarterly National Household Survey-Health, Third Quarter 2007, Cork. Department of Health (2013a) Health in Ireland: Key Trends 2013, Dublin. Department of Health (2013b) Healthy Ireland - A Framework for Improved Health and Wellbeing , Dublin. Hays RD, Sherbourne CD & Mazel R (1995) User's manual for the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) core measures of health-related quality of life. Rand Corporation. Health Service Executive (2009) HIPE Data (Executive HS ed.). Hughes M & Dunne M (2014): The Living with Asthma Study: issues affecting the perceived health and wellbeing of Irish adults with asthma. Irish Journal of Medical Science. Price D, Fletcher M & van der Molen T (2014): Asthma control and management in 8,000 European patients: the REcognise Asthma and LInk to Symptoms and Experience (REALISE) survey. Npj Primary Care Respiratory Medicine 24.

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