Determinants of the utilization of allergy management measures among hay fever sufferers: a theory-based cross-sectional
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(2020) 20:1876
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Open Access
Determinants of the utilization of allergy management measures among hay fever sufferers: a theory-based cross-sectional study Anna Muzalyova*
and Jens O. Brunner
Abstract Background: The quality of life of chronically ill individuals, such as hay fever sufferers, is significantly dependent on their health behavior. This survey aimed to explain the health-related behavior of allergic individuals using the protection motivation theory (PMT) and the transtheoretical model (TTM). Methods: The influencing variables stated by PMT were operationalized based on data from semistructured pilot interviews and a pretest with 12 individuals from the target population. The final questionnaire inquired perceived seriousness and severity of hay fever, response efficacy, response costs, self-efficacy, and the use of various hay fever management measures in relation to the TTM stages. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to investigate the relationships between the PMT constructs and the examined health behavior. Results: A total of 569 allergic individuals completed the online questionnaire. Only 33.26% of allergic individuals were in the maintenance stage for treatment under medical supervision, and almost 60% preferred hay fever selfmanagement. A total of 67.56% had a well-established habit of taking anti-allergic medication, but only 25.31% had undergone specific immunotherapy. The likelihood of seeking medical supervision was positively influenced by perceived severity (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 1.02–1.81), perceived seriousness (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.56–2.89), and selfefficacy (OR = 4.52, 95% CI: 3.11–6.65). The perceived severity of symptoms predicted the practice of hay fever selfmanagement (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.21–2.11), as well as anti-allergic medication intake (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.16–2.35). The latter measure was also positively influenced by self-efficacy (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.01–2.28) and hay fever selfmanagement (OR = 4.76, 95% CI: 2.67–7.49). Undergoing specific immunotherapy was significantly predicted only by medical supervision (OR = 9.80, 95% CI: 8.16–13.80). Allergen avoidance was a strategy used by allergic individuals who preferred hay fever self-management (OR = 2.56, 95% CI: 1.87–3.52) and experienced notable symptom severity (OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.60–2.81). Conclusion: Educational interventions that increase the awareness of health risks associated with inadequate hay fever management and measures to increase self-efficacy might be beneficial for the promotion of appropriate hay fever management among allergic individuals. Keywords: Hay fever management, Utilization of health measures, Protection motivation theory, Transtheoretical model, Threat appraisal
* Correspondence: [email protected] Chair of Health Care Operations/ Health Information Management, UNIKA-T, University of Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 16, 86159 Augsburg, Germany © The Author(s). 2020 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Inter
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