Treating asthma: A quantitative assessment of the traditional and alternative treatments of asthma among college-aged men and women
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Authors
Lidicker, Gretchen Amanda
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Abstract
Asthma is an incurable disease affecting one in twelve adults, about eighteen million men
and women in the United States alone. There are many traditional and alternative treatments for
asthma; however, the gap between treatment options is variable. There is a great need for more
information related to holistic asthma treatments, including what has brought the most success in
controlling short- and long-term symptoms. The purpose of this study was to investigate asthma
treatment, including: traditional treatment, lifestyle changes, and various alternative therapies.
Data were retrieved from men and women between the ages of 18 and 25. The majority of
participants were students at the College of Charleston, an urban, public, mid-sized university in
downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The sample population included only participants who
have been diagnosed with asthma at some point by a medical doctor and would currently
consider themselves asthmatics. Participants completed a cross-sectional, self-administered webbased
survey. The survey included basic demographic questions, and items related each
participant’s individual asthma experiences, including in-depth questions about: overall health,
food allergies and sensitivities, and use of traditional and alternative treatments. This study
provides significant insight into the reality of asthma patients and the complex web and triggers,
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symptoms, causes and treatments associated with the disease. Overall, the participants selfreported
their asthma being well controlled, experiencing the typical triggers, and taking standard
medications. More than 80.0% (n=111) of the participants had tried some kind alternative or
lifestyle treatment for their asthma. The most common alternative or lifestyle treatments were
exercise, breathing techniques, and air purifiers or filters. Results indicate that patients are often
taking a holistic approach to their asthma care and treatment. There is a great need for more
information related to holistic asthma treatments, including what has brought the most success in
controlling symptoms and a focus on each individual patient.
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Keywords
asthma, holistic treatments, traditional treatments, alternative treatments, college
students