The asthma programme of Finland: an evaluation survey in primary health care.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the basic structures and processes of asthma care 6 years after the launch of the Finnish Asthma Programme. The evaluation will serve as the baseline for the implementation of the evidence-based guidelines for asthma published in 2000.


METHODS
A descriptive type-2 evaluation (managerial monitoring of a policy implementation), based on operationalised statements of the Asthma Programme.


RESULTS
A co-ordinating doctor for asthma, usually a general practitioner (GP), was interviewed in 248 (91%) health centres; 83% of the health centres have at least one GP nominated as the local asthma co-ordinator and 94% have a nurse. Asthma education for the professionals had been organised in 71% of the health centres in the previous 2 years. First-line treatment consists of an inhaled corticosteroid. Guided self-management is used in 98% of the health centres, but its components were not clear to the doctors.


CONCLUSIONS
The basic structure of equipment and organisation for the diagnosis and treatment of asthma has been set up in the primary health care services.
Erhola
M
M
Finnish Lung Health Association, Helsinki, Finland.
Mäkinen
R
R
Koskela
K
K
Bergman
V
V
Klaukka
T
T
Mäkelä
M
M
Tirkkonen
L
L
Kaila
M
M
D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005387:Finland; D019538:Health Care Surveys / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013997:Time Factors