Asthma and Health Literacy in Newcomer Communities in the Greater Vancouver Area

In this study, the investigators aim to develop and test the effectiveness of culturally appropriate asthma videos and other educational materials based on knowledge from this study and the investigators' previous studies. By culturally appropriate materials the investigators mean to develop health information (in the format of video and written materials) in the community own language and applied the most appealing cultural beliefs and practices in the Chinese and Punjabi communities. The investigators also aim to recommend a practical framework and to develop a measure of asthma knowledge and health literacy among immigrants from the Punjabi and Chinese communities in BC. The investigators' definition of health literacy in this study is the capability of a person to navigate and access to asthma-related information, as well as to understand, evaluate, and communicate the obtained information to improve his/her health status. The investigators' hypothesis is that audio-visual based asthma information in a subject's native language would improve a patient's knowledge and self-management of asthma in comparison to printed information.