Table 1 Definition of terms

Self-management³⁴

The tasks that individuals must undertake to live with one or more chronic conditions. These tasks include having the confidence to deal with medical management, role management and emotional management of their conditions

Health literacy¹³

Health literacy is linked to literacy and entails people’s knowledge, motivation and competences to access, understand, appraise and apply health information in order to make judgments and take decisions in everyday life concerning healthcare, disease prevention and health promotion to maintain or improve quality of life during the life course

Severe asthma attacks²⁸

Events that require urgent action on the part of the patient and physician (e.g. a course of oral steroids) to prevent a serious outcome, such as hospitalisation or death from asthma