Shiho Ishizuki, Michiyo Hirano
Online health information searching and health literacy among middle-aged and older adults: A cross-sectional study
Nursing & health sciences
asthma leading cause respiratory illness australia significant prevalence rural areas literature suggests living rural areas act barrier receiving emergency healthcare asthma exacerbations resulting need resources advocacy educating rural asthmatics managing condition knowing access help study aims explore decisionmaking accessing emergency healthcare people moderate severe asthma exacerbations rural new south wales nsw qualitative interpretative design involving semistructured interviews 12 participants conducted may july 2021 interviews recorded transcribed verbatim participants asthmatics accessed emergency healthcare moderate severe asthma exacerbation nsw last five years data thematically analysed grouped four overarching themes due depth range data paper reporting two themes past experiences education impact selfmanagement strategies shown prominent influences affected decisions choosing access emergency healthcare moderate severe asthma exacerbation participants shared decisionmaking shaped health literacy gained past experiences asthma exacerbations dealing emergency healthcare addition selfmanagement strategies utilised minimise need access emergency healthcare achieved telehealth appointments lifestyle changes nonpharmacological strategies study shows increase health promotion activities throughout rural areas help reassure people uncertainties may associated past experiences improve health literacy additionally providing tools allow confident selfmanagement asthma effectively using evidencebased techniques prevent progressing moderate severe exacerbation would also benefit