Psychological Characteristics of Patients With Severe Asthma

Like any chronic disease, asthma exposes individuals to stressful and threatening situations that require ongoing cognitive, emotional, behavioral and social adaptation. Approximately 5-10% of patients with asthma have a treatment-resistant disease, with frequent emergency room visits and hospitalizations. These patients are responsible for the majority of the overall asthma-related disease burden and also represent more than half of the total direct costs of asthma management. The scientific literature shows that personality traits, attachment type and psychological disorders will significantly influence disease coping strategies, disease experience, quality of life, adherence and therapeutic alliance. Although some data exist in asthma, there are currently no studies that have evaluated the overall psychological profile of asthma patients, and we have no data specifically on the population of severe asthmatics, who are the most difficult to manage. A better understanding of the overall psychological dimension of asthma patients will make it possible to offer therapeutic education programs that are more targeted according to the psychosocial skills of the patient and finally improve the overall management of the disease.