Quality of life in asthmatic patients: Pre- and post-COVID-19

Chronic respiratory diseases impact patients’ social, psychological, and physical well-being. Before COVID-19, asthma management focused on preventing lung damage and treating flare-ups. Despite more treatments, many patients struggle with medication adherence and experience isolation. The pandemic shifted asthma management toward preventive measures across the world. Practices such as wearing masks universally, improved hygiene, and more use of telemedicine were adopted globally. These helped to minimize hospital burden, with drop in asthma patients, proving that adhering to preventive practices can successfully treat long-term respiratory dis-eases. However, the pandemic also exacerbated the mental well-being of asthmatic patients, causing a decrease in their quality of life because of increased stress, anxiety, and loneliness. This formed a vicious cycle in which wors-ening physical and mental health worsened asthma management. Consequently, there is a requirement for a more patient-centered, multidisciplinary care approach for tackling social, mental, and physical health requirements. Disparities in healthcare continued, especially in rural and disadvantaged communities. Telemedicine and digital health technology, adopted so quickly during the pandemic, allowed for the continuity of care, increased medi-cation compliance, and fewer hospital visits. This article delves into asthma care before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrating the multifaceted impact of the crisis. It highlights the significance of individualized treatment and prevention as well as the value of incorporating mental healthcare in asthma management. In the future, new models of asthma care could leverage learnings from the pandemic, integrating telemedicine with improved preventive measures to enhance patient outcomes, equity, and access. The pandemic has triggered innovations in the treatment of asthma, such as the creation of digital tools for individualized care and novel biologic treatments. These advances need to be incorporated into the existing management practices to improve asthma control globally.