[Results of an educational program for adults with asthma].
BACKGROUND
Asthma is a world health problem. Education of asthmatic patient has been proposed as a choice for diminishing mortality due to asthma.


OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that educational programs for asthmatic patients help to reduce disease's severity, crises and hospitalizations number and encourage a bigger therapeutic compliance.


METHODS
80 asthmatic patients were divided into two groups; first one received educational curse and second one does not. All patients received treatment according to international guides, including monthly consultation, flow-meter, and symptoms day book; an initial and final evaluation was made about disease's knowledge. Course consisted of a workshop including crisis management, use of inhaled medication, flow-metry and relaxation techniques.


RESULTS
We studied 76 patients, with a mean age of 34 years; 36 were assigned to group 1 and 40 to group 2. Initial assessment of both groups was of 7.8, while final evaluation of groups 1 and 2 was of 9.3 and 8.4, respectively. Group 1 had lesser number of hospitalizations than group 2 (p-0.005), lesser number of emergency consultations (p-0.005) and a higher overall improvement than group 2, in which only 8 patients got well. A third part of the group 1 abandoned treatment, while patients that abandoned treatment in group 2 accounted for 79% (p < 0.0005).


CONCLUSIONS
Educational programs for asthmatic adult patients diminish severity of disease, number of crises and hospitalizations, and also increase therapeutic compliance.
Segura Méndez
N
N
Hospital de Cardiología, área de fisiología cardiopulmonar, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS.
Espínola Reyna
G
G
Juárez Morales
D
D
Vázquez Estupiñan
F
F
Salas Ramírez
M
M
Ortiz Vázquez
J U
JU
Mejía Ortega
J
J
D000328:Adult; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D003863:Depression; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013147:Spirometry; D013224:Status Asthmaticus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents