Home nebuliser use in children with asthma in two Scottish Health Board Areas.
OBJECTIVE
To audit the use of home nebulisers in children with asthma.


METHODS
Postal questionnaire.


METHODS
Two Health Board Areas in Central Scotland--one large industrialised city, one mixed urban and rural.


METHODS
297 children with asthma. MEASURES EVALUATED: Initial supply and technical support for the compressor.
Pattern of drug usage. SYMPTOM CONTROL: Monitoring and treatment of acute attacks.


RESULTS
The full burden of the home nebulised therapy is not being met by the NHS. Supply and servicing arrangements for home nebuliser therapy were poorly organised. Chronic asthma symptoms did not appear to be optimally controlled on present medication, with 61% reporting sleep disturbance in the previous three months. About 20% of parents admitted that they would give nebulised bronchodilator therapy more frequently than the recommended 3 to 4 hourly.


CONCLUSIONS
Re-organisation of resources and arrangements could improve the service and bring it in line with recognised standards of care.
Madge
P J
PJ
Department of Child Health, University of Glasgow, Yorkhill NHS Trust.
Nisbet
L
L
McColl
J H
JH
Vallance
A
A
Paton
J Y
JY
Beattie
J O
JO
D000208:Acute Disease; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008485:Medical Audit; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012138:Respiratory Therapy / Q000193:education / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012606:Scotland; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents