Short and long-term evaluation of two structured self management programmes on asthma.
In recent years education programmes for adults have been developed focusing on improving patient self-management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of two different educational programmes on asthma at one year (short-term efficacy) and three years (long-term efficacy). Changes in pulmonary function (FEV1), knowledge of disease and skill concerning inhalation technique were evaluated to determine the efficacy of the educational programme. Forty patients were randomly assigned to the two different educational programmes. Twenty subjects (mean age 49 +/- 11 yrs; FEV1 79% +/- 15 of predicted) were assigned, to a basic educational programme, while the others (mean age 44 +/- 11 yrs; FEV1 79% +/- 14 of predicted) were assigned to an "asthma school" programme. In both "basic" and "asthma school" groups there was a significant increase from baseline to one year (p < 0.05) and three years (p < 0.05) in FEV1, number of correct answers to the knowledge questionnaire, and number of correct steps during the inhalation procedure. No significant differences were found between the two groups at baseline, one year and three years for all three variables studied. This study confirms that both educational programmes determine in asthmatics an improvement in lung function, knowledge of disease and skill for inhalation technique at one year and three years following commencement of the programme. A "basic" educational programme is as effective as an "asthma school" one.
Neri
M
M
Divisione di Pneumologia, Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, Clinica del Lavoro e della Riabilitazione, IRCCS, Istituto di Tradate, Italy. mneri@fsm.it
Spanevello
A
A
Ambrosetti
M
M
Ferronato
P
P
Cagna
C
C
Zanon
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012646:Self Administration / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome