The Relationship Between Kinesiophobia, Physical Activity Level and Quality of Life in Asthma Patients
The Relationship Between Kinesiophobia, Physical Activity Level and Quality of Life in Asthma Patients
Asthma is a heterogeneous disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation characterized
 by time-varying respiratory symptoms such as wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness
 and cough, with limitation of expiratory airflow. These variations are often triggered by
 exercise, exposure to allergens or an irritation, weather changes or viral respiratory
 diseases (Karakış, 2018). Increased respiratory distress decreases the patient's activity,
 decreases the condition and makes the individual dependent in daily life. In the studies
 conducted in asthma patients, the cases stated that they perceived their illness as an
 obstacle against physical activity and thus they were pushed to immobility (Kırtay & Oğuz,
 2011). In the literature, no study on the variable of kinesiophobia in asthma was found. The
 aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between kinesiophobia and physical
 activity level and quality of life in asthma patients.
Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by increased airway sensitivity to
 various stimuli and reversible airway obstruction (Soyuer et al., 2013). Bronchial
 hypersensitivity associated with chronic airway inflammation causes wheezing, dyspnea, chest
 tightness, and cough attacks, especially at midnight or morning. These attacks are associated
 with varying degrees of airway obstruction and usually improve with treatment or
 spontaneously (Arslan, 2011). Three mechanisms are responsible for the pathogenesis of
 asthma. These include reversible airway obstruction, airway inflammation, and increased
 airway sensitivity (Soyuer et al., 2013). Although it is known that genetic and environmental
 factors play a role in asthma formation, etiopathogenesis has not been fully explained
 (Arslan, 2011). Approximately 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma and this
 prevalence increases by 50% every ten years. Hospitalization is frequently seen in patients
 with asthma (Autumn, 2015). It is estimated that approximately 250,000 people die annually
 due to asthma. No relationship was found between prevalence and mortality (Autumn, 2015).
 Asthmatic patients have intermittent symptoms such as wheezing, dyspnea, chest tightness, and
 dry cough. Stimulants such as allergens, air pollution, gastroesophageal reflux, stress and
 exercise cause these symptoms. 90% of untreated asthmatics develop asthma symptoms during
 exercise (Dursun et al., 2013). Airway obstruction due to exercise occurs in 40-90% of
 asthmatics, decreases the ability to exercise and patients prefer a more sedentary lifestyle.
 Patients with asthma have low physical activity levels because they avoid exercising due to
 anxiety and depression, inactivity, fatigue, dyspnea (Autumn, 2015). The ability to perform
 activities and the ability to perform daily living activities are components of quality of
 life. In many studies, it has been found that quality of life is affected in individuals with
 chronic lung disease. Quality of life can be assessed with many disease-specific
 questionnaires. Asthma patients experience problems in many areas in terms of quality of
 life, including day and night disease symptoms, impaired daily living activities, and reduced
 quality of life. Asthma is associated with decreased quality of life and morbidity. Asthma
 symptoms reduce performance at school and at work; affects learning and reduces quality of
 life. It is stated that asthma has a negative effect on quality of life, physical,
 physiological and social function (Autumn, 2015).

 Airway obstruction due to exercise decreases physical activity in asthmatic patients. This
 may give rise to fear of movement over time. Avoidance of movement is called kinesiophobia.
 Kinesiophobia is a condition that occurs when patients want to perform their previous
 functions, especially in chronic painful disease processes.

 Kinesiophobia is an avoidance phenomenon within the cognitive behavioral avoidance model and
 patients may limit their activity in daily life in case of symptoms of deterioration or the
 occurrence of symptoms. This may result in emotional problems and life dissatisfaction in
 later periods (Yumin et al., 2017). Kinesiophobia has been the subject of study in
 cardiopulmonary cases, but there is no research on kinesiophobia in asthma. In this study,
 the effect of kinesiophobia on physical activity level and quality of life in asthma will be
 investigated.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Being 18-65 years old T

 -  Turkish reading, writing, understanding

 -  Volunteering to participate in the research

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Having communication problems, not being cooperative, having a psychiatric diagnosis
 or using medication

 -  Severe comorbid diseases (heart, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological diseases)
 that may cause movement limitation.