The Prevalence and Patient’s Quality of Life for Asthma in Taiwan

Asthma affects approximately 5% of the population in Taiwan. The increasing prevalence has caused concerns for both general public and healthcare professionals. This study aims to understand patients’ quality of life in order to provide guidance for appropriate healthcare service as well as prevention. Face-to-face interview was conducted using Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ) in a community hospital in northern Taiwan. A total of 106 questionnaires were collected. The results indicate that patients concern mostly about environmental stimuli which causes the greatest worries in the four functions of AQLQ. Middle aged patients have the worse quality of life than other age group counterparts. This is largely due to the emotional and physical stress as the result of the disease.