Feasibility study of a communication and education asthma intervention for general practitioners in Australia.
The Physician Asthma Care Education (PACE) program significantly improved asthma prescribing and communication behaviours of primary care paediatricians in the USA. We tested the feasibility and acceptability of a modified PACE program with Australian general practitioners (GP) and measured its impact on self-reported consulting behaviours in a pilot study. Recruitment took place through a local GP division. Twenty-five GP completed two PACE Australia workshops, which incorporated paediatric asthma management consistent with Australian asthma guidelines and focussed on effective communication strategies. Program feasibility, usefulness and perceived benefit were measured by questionnaires before the workshop and 1 month later, and an evaluation questionnaire after each workshop. GP were universally enthusiastic and supportive of the workshops. The most useful elements they reported were communication skills, case studies, device demonstrations and the toolkit provided. GP self reports of the perceived helpfulness of the key communication strategies and their confidence in their application and reported frequency of use increased significantly after the workshops. The PACE program shows promise in improving the way in which Australian GP manage asthma consultations, particularly with regard to doctor-patient communication. The impact ofthe modified PACE Australia program on the processes and outcomes ofGP care ofchildren with asthma is now being measured in a randomised controlled trial.
Primary Health Care Education and Research Unit, Primary and Community Health Network, Sydney West Area Health Service, Sydney, NSW 2145, Australia. smita_shah@wsahs.nsw.gov.au
Smita
S
Shah
Brett G
BG
Toelle
Susan M
SM
Sawyer
Jessica K
JK
Roydhouse
Peter
P
Edwards
Tim
T
Usherwood
Christine R
CR
Jenkins
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000628:therapy*; D001315:Australia; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D003142:Communication; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D058005:General Practitioners / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods