[How do asthmatic women experience the illness?].

This study aimed to identify and understand the essence of the anguish of five asthmatic women, patients of the Pneumology Service of a hospital in Porto Alegre, and how they interact with the health professionals. It uses the qualitative methodology, with semi-structured interviews. The content analysis identified: a dependent relationship and an incidence of separation anguish demonstrated by the way the women deal with medication and the caregivers; some of the women's impediments; difficulties to describe the illness and asthma crisis. The separation anxiety and the dependent behavior of the patient must be understood by the caregiver.