Asthma Self-Management in Adolescents and Young Adults

Adolescence and early adulthood represent a critical window for the consolidation of asthma self-management skills. During this period, young people undergo profound physical, psychological and social changes that can affect symptom perception, medication adherence and engagement with healthcare services. Self-management encompasses recognition of early warning signs, correct inhaler technique, avoidance of triggers, regular monitoring of lung function and timely use of rescue and maintenance therapies. It also requires the development of effective coping strategies for stress, peer pressure, lifestyle changes and emerging mental health issues. The transition from paediatric to adult care frequently coincides with shifts in responsibility for treatment decisions, yet many adolescents feel underprepared for this handover. Discontinuities in follow-up, variable access to tailored education and inconsistent support for emerging autonomy may lead to suboptimal control, increased emergency visits and impaired quality of life. Advances in digital health, peer-led education and structured transition programmes offer new avenues to reinforce self-efficacy, but their implementation varies widely at national and regional levels. A holistic approach that integrates personalised action plans, shared decision-making, family engagement and multidisciplinary support is essential to equip young people with the confidence and skills required for lifelong asthma control. Global efforts to standardise transition protocols and to foster patient-centred models of care have the potential to reduce health disparities and to improve long-term respiratory outcomes.

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Asthma Self-Management in Adolescents and Young Adults publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in asthma self-management in adolescents and young adults across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Self-management: The active participation of individuals in monitoring and managing their asthma, including medication use, trigger avoidance and symptom tracking.

Transition readiness: The degree to which an adolescent or young adult is prepared to assume responsibility for their own healthcare after leaving paediatric services.

Adherence: The extent to which a patient’s behaviour corresponds with agreed recommendations from a healthcare provider, particularly regarding medication schedules.

Inhaled corticosteroid: An anti-inflammatory medication delivered directly to the airways to reduce bronchial inflammation and prevent asthma exacerbations.

Self-efficacy: A person’s belief in their capability to perform behaviours necessary to achieve specific health outcomes, such as correct inhaler technique or avoidance of known triggers.

References

1. Transition for Adolescents and Young Adults With Asthma. Frontiers in Pediatrics (2019).
2. Lost in the transition from pediatric to adult healthcare? Experiences of young adults with severe asthma. Journal of Asthma (2019).
3. A Gap Between Asthma Guidelines and Management for Adolescents and Young Adults. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology In Practice (2020).
4. Current transition management of adolescents and young adults with allergy and asthma: a European survey. Clinical and Translational Allergy (2020).
5. A mixed‐methods analysis of younger adults' perceptions of asthma, self‐management, and preventive care: "This isn't helping me none". Clinical & Experimental Allergy (2020).