ObjectiveTo investigate the differences in self-perception level of asthma control and the factors affecting the ability of self-perception in patients with bronchial asthma. MethodsA total of 322 patients who were diagnosed with bronchial asthma at the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from March 2013 to February 2015 were recruited in the study. The clinical data were collected, including the demographic characteristics of the patients, the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and results of routine blood test and pulmonary function test on the same day that they were required to fill out the ACT. Then they were followed up at the 1st, 3rd, 6th, 12th months, and required to fill out the ACT again, and underwent the blood routine test and lung function test. In addition, health education about asthma was offered regularly during these visits. ResultsA total of 226 patients met the inclusion criteria of the study. The patients with asthma had significant differences between self-perception control level and real symptoms control level (P<0.05). The patients who were 65 years old or older perceived their symptoms of bronchial asthma rather poorly (P=0.000). The patients who received senior high school or higher education had a higher ability of self-perceived asthma control (P=0.005). The patients with allergic rhinitis combined were less likely to correctly perceive their illness compared with those who did not suffered from allergic rhinitis, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.001). In addition, for those diagnosed with allergic rhinitis combined with bronchial asthma, regular treatment also made difference--longer treatment for rhinitis means a higher ability of self-perceived asthma control (P=0.000). The health education did play a constructive role in helping patients correctly perceive their illness (P=0.000). There was no correlation between the absolute value of peripheral blood eosinophils and the accuracy of self-perceived asthma control. Nevertheless,there was a noticeable correlation between the ability of peripheral blood eosinophils of patients with asthma and acute attack of bronchial asthma (P=0.003),which was a meaningful finding in assessing the risk of future acute attack of bronchial asthma (P=0.469). ConclusionsThere is a significant difference between self-perception control level and symptom control level in patients with asthma. The self-perception control level of asthma patients who are elderly, the low degree of educational level, merged allergic rhinitis, and lack of health education are associated with lower accuracy of self-perception control level. The absolute value of peripheral blood eosinophils of the patients with asthma can be used to assess the risk of asthma acute attack in the future, but has no significant correlation with the accuracy of self-perception control level.