Stress among Patients with Asthma and its Association with Urban and Rural Residency.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Asthma is a long-term inflammatory condition of the airways that causes symptoms such as wheezing, breathlessness and persistent coughing. It affects people across all ages and backgrounds, often interfering with daily life and overall well-being. Stress, a mental or emotional pressure people experience during challenging situations, can directly affect asthma. When stress becomes chronic, it can heighten inflammation in the airways, alter immune responses and reduce a person’s ability to follow treatment routines.

Where a person lives also important for overall well-being and it give one less stressor to worry about. Environments often expose individuals to traffic-related air pollution, noise and overcrowding, which can worsen asthma symptoms and contribute to higher psychological stress levels. On the other hand, rural areas may offer relatively cleaner air, but present their own challenges. Limited access to healthcare, long travel distances to medical facilities and greater exposure to allergens such as dust, animal dander and biomass smoke can make asthma management harder for rural patients and increase their stress.

Taken together, these factors show that asthma is not simply a medical condition but a health issue influenced by a blend of environmental, psychological and social elements. Recognizing the role of stress and how it varies between urban and rural settings can help improve asthma management and guide more effective public health planning.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To assess the level of stress in patients with


2. To find the Association of demographic factors and stress level of patients with Asthma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The present study employed a Descriptive, cross-sectional research design to evaluate the level of Stress of Two Hundred and nine patients diagnosed with Asthma. Anxiety, Stress and Depression scale (ADSS) by Pallavi Bhatnagar et. al was used. After obtaining ethical approval from Institutional ethics committee for Human Subject’s research from KAHER’s J. N. Medical college, Belagavi along with permission from the respective Hospital the study was conducted in Belagavi, Karnataka, India. Patients were asked to fill the predesigned and structured questionnaire after obtaining written Informed consent.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Chi square analysis, Percentage and Normality testing (Shapiro-Wilk Test) was used for analysis.

RESULTS:

Stress levels in the sample show a varied distribution, with the largest proportion falling under average stress (38.28%), indicating that moderate stress is most common among participants. A notable portion of 14.35% reported high level of stress, which highlight that a considerable subgroup experiences significant psychological pressure.

CONCULSION:

Results indicate that Rural participants showed markedly higher levels of high and above-average stress.