title: Effects of an outpatient education program in patients with uncontrolled asthma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of an outpatient education program in patients with uncontrolled asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an uncontrolled study evaluating an educational intervention and involving patients with uncontrolled asthma ≥ 14 years of age. The participants completed a questionnaire designed to assess the level of asthma control, the inhalation technique, and quality of life. All of the patients underwent pulmonary function testing, after which they participated in an education program consisting of one 45-min face-to-face session, followed by phone interviews at two, four, and eight weeks. The participants were reevaluated after three months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-three patients completed the study. There was a significant improvement in the level of asthma control (p < 0.001). Of the 63 patients, 28 (44.4%) and 6 (9.5%) were classified as having partially controlled asthma and controlled asthma, respectively. The mean FEV1 was 63.0 ± 20.0% and 68.5 ± 21.2% of the predicted value prior to and after the educational intervention, respectively (p = 0.002), and all of the quality of life scores improved (p < 0.05 for all). The same was true for the proportion of patients prior to and after the educational intervention using the proper inhalation technique when using metered dose inhalers (15.4% vs. 46.2%; p = 0.02) and dry powder inhalers (21.3% vs. 76.6%; p < 0.001). The logistic regression analysis revealed that an incorrect inhalation technique identified during the first evaluation was independently associated with a favorable response to the educational intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that an outpatient education program for asthma patients improves the level of asthma control, lung function parameters, and quality of life. An incorrect inhalation technique identified during the first evaluation was predictive of a favorable response to the educational intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonology, Porto Alegre Hospital de Clínicas, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, School of Medicine, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carmen Denise Borba
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Rosemary Petrik
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Paulo de Tarso Roth
authors.initials: Pde T
authors.lastname: Dalcin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients / Q000193:education*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists