Asthma education for older adults: results from the National Asthma Survey.
BACKGROUND
Although asthma education is effective in younger population, it is unknown whether it is effective in older adults.


METHODS
Using the Four-State National Asthma Survey (NAS) data, asthma control was compared between older adults (≥65 years) who had been taught to use a peak flow meter (PFM) and asthma action plan (AAP) with those who had not. We also compared older adults who had taken an asthma course with those who had not. Both short-term (symptoms within last 1 week, day and night symptoms in last 30 days, and the use of steroid in last 3 months) and long-term (asthma attack, emergency department visit, hospitalizations, and activity limitations in the prior year) outcomes were compared.


RESULTS
Three hundred and ninety-eight older adults with asthma were identified. There were no differences in the short- and long-term asthma outcomes between the older adults who had or had not received instruction on PFM or AAP use. In preliminary analysis, those who took AC were more likely to have at least one poorly controlled long-term outcome measure (81 vs. 65%, p = 0.034). However, this difference did not remain significant in a logistic regression analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Engagement in asthma education course, instruction on action plans, and instruction on PFM use does not appear to affect asthma outcomes in older adults. Education specifically tailored toward older adults is required for better asthma control.
Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, USA. abaptist@med.umich.edu
Alan P
AP
Baptist
Neetu
N
Talreja
Noreen M
NM
Clark
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000379:methods*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors