Beyond breathing: could an asthma drug lift emotional burdens for patients and partners?

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: Phase 1: * Age 18 or over * Having a diagnosis of severe eosinophilic asthma * Currently on mepolizumab (Nucala®) treatment * At least basic command of English * Giving written informed consent Phase 2 Patient eligibility Inclusion criteria * Age 18 or over * Having a diagnosis of severe eosinophilic asthma * Scheduled to start mepolizumab (Nucala®) treatment * At least basic command of English (for sub-study: conversational level of English that does not require a translator) * Giving written informed consent * Co-habiting with an intimate partner who is willing to participate in the study Exclusion criteria * Participated in Phase 1 * Currently on mepolizumab (Nucala®) treatment * Major psychiatric disorder currently under treatment * History of any major psychiatric disorder in the last 5 years, excluding depressive and anxiety disorders that can be included if treatment or change of treatment (including change in dose of medication) has not started within the last 6 months * Any diagnosed severe comorbid chronic condition that, in the opinion of the patient's asthma physician, might impact on the patient's or partner's affective state (e.g. cancer, diabetes, heart failure, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune or neuro-degenerative disease). * Partners only: diagnosis of severe eosinophilic asthma * Death of spouse, main informal carer or first-degree family member within the last 3 months * Current oral corticosteroid maintenance treatment Partner eligibility Inclusion criteria * Age 18 or over * At least basic command of English (for sub-study: conversational level of English that does not require a translator) * Giving written informed consent * Partners: Co-habiting with an intimate partner who has severe eosinophilic asthma and is willing to participate in the study Exclusion criteria * Participated in Phase 1 * Major psychiatric disorder currently under treatment * Participant self-reported history of any major psychiatric disorder in the last 5 years, excluding depressive and anxiety disorders that can be included if treatment or change of treatment (including change in dose of medication) has not started within the last 6 months. * Participant self-reported any diagnosed severe comorbid chronic condition that, in the opinion of the patient's asthma physician, might impact on the patient's or partner's affective state (e.g. cancer, diabetes, heart failure, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, autoimmune or neuro-degenerative disease). * Diagnosis of severe eosinophilic asthma * Death of spouse, main informal carer or first-degree family member within the last 3 months * Current oral corticosteroid maintenance treatment Phase 3: Phase 3 is a qualitative study on a sample of couples from Phase 2 therefore the same exclusion criteria will apply as in Phase 2.