An evaluation of the action plans of children with asthma.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the provision and use of action plans in children attending hospital because of asthma.


METHODS
An interviewer administered a structured questionnaire to the parents of 279 children attending the Casualty Department, Outpatient clinics or admitted to hospital because of asthma, at two Level 3 teaching hospitals.


RESULTS
Only 82 (29%) of the children attending hospital had a written action plan. The majority (57%) were devised by paediatricians and covered the salient aspects of care. However, indications for steroid use were included in only 28% of plans and only 37% of the action plans in children over 5 years incorporated the use of peak flow meters.


CONCLUSIONS
Action plans are still under-utilized in children with asthma. General practitioners should be encouraged to consider the use of action plans for the group of children not already covered.
Dawson
K P
KP
University Department of Paediatrics, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
Van Asperen
P
P
Higgins
C
C
Sharpe
C
C
Davis
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D009517:New South Wales; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010366:Peak Expiratory Flow Rate; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D012008:Recurrence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents