Against a background of long-term respiratory limitations when living with asthma, stigma and low self-esteem have also been identified as the social phenomenon among adult asthmatics. Research has explored and identified the internalised stigma and low self-esteem in individuals living with asthma, but less has been done to evaluate the levels of self-stigma and self-esteem for the respective impact on asthma control. Therefore, a multicentre cross-sectional study titled: Assessment of self-stigma, self-esteem, and asthma control: a preliminary cross-sectional study among adult asthmatic patients in Selangor, Malaysia, was conducted by Dr Sohail Ahmad from Faculty of Pharmacy, MAHSA University, and his team members Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Izuanuddin Ismail and Dr Mohd Arif Mohd Zim, Professor Dr NE Ismail, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Malaysia.
The preliminary evidence presented in this study found that frequent emergency room visits, high self-stigma, and low self-esteem in asthma patients become more apparent with poor asthma control. The findings of the study recommended the use social support system to tackle the asthma-related negative psychosocial outcomes. Moreover, the peer support to the asthma patients may provide emotional as well as social support that in turn promote self-efficacy, self-esteem, and positive health outcomes.
In Malaysia, the Medication Therapy
Adherence Clinics (MTAC) were initiated in 2009, and aimed to ensure medication
adherence by patient education and counseling across various chronic illnesses
including asthma. The campaign was not targeted primarily at addressing
psychosocial concerns like self-stigma and self-esteem per se; though recently some focus has been given
to address patients' psychological issues of anxiety and depression but in an
unstructured manner. In view of the moderate level of self-stigma and
self-esteem that influenced asthma control, the MTAC program can further be
extended to improve patients' psychosocial well-being.