Beliefs, perceptions and practices about asthma among Iranian asthma patients.

To evaluate the beliefs and practices of patients diagnosed with asthma about various aspects of their condition we interviewed 123 patients attending 2 outpatient departments of hospitals in Tehran. Most of the participants did not recall their past medical history of asthma. Many patients with a history of using oral inhalers did not use these regularly (41.9%); the major reason reported was feeling no need to use medication during symptom-free intervals. Only 32 (30.5%) patients demonstrated the correct technique for using their oral inhaler. Patients with asthma need more education about prevention and control of symptoms. Neglect by physicians of the Global Initiative for Asthma management guidelines was another major concern.