title: Mediators of asthma outcomes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patient adherence, the level of asthma self-management skills, exposure to stress, and depression can have considerable influence on a wide range of asthma outcomes and thus are considered asthma outcome mediators.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  National Institutes of Health institutes and other federal agencies convened an expert group to recommend standardized measures for 7 domains of asthma clinical research outcomes measures. Although the review of mediators of these outcomes was not within the scope of any specific outcome topic, a brief summary is presented so that researchers might consider potential mediators.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prepared a summary of key mediators of asthma outcomes based on expertise and knowledge of the literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rationale for including measures of adherence, self-management skills, and exposures to stress in asthma clinical research is presented, along with a brief review of instruments for collecting this information from clinical research participants.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Appropriate measurement of adherence, self-management skills, and exposures to stress will enhance characterization of study participants and provide information about the potential impact these factors can have on mediating the effects of treatment interventions.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Rand
authors.forename: Rosalind J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Cabana
authors.forename: Michael B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Foggs
authors.forename: Jill S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Halterman
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: William M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Vollmer
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Taggart
mesh_terms: D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000592:standards*; D003863:Depression; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012648:Self Care; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D016896:Treatment Outcome