title: Educational intervention for older people with asthma: a randomised controlled trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To improve the asthma control and adherence to asthma preventer medication of older people using the Patient Asthma Concerns Tool (PACT) to identify and address unmet needs and patient concerns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community dwelling adults over 55 years, living in Victoria or New South Wales were recruited into a single-blind, parallel design, randomised-controlled trial comparing person-centred education including device technique, versus written information-only education. Fifty-eight participants randomised to the intervention group and 56 to the control completed participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  asthma control, adherence to preventer medication, asthma related quality of life, asthma exacerbations and written action plan ownership were assessed at baseline, and 3 and 12 months post intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intervention participants experienced improvements in asthma control, adherence to asthma preventer medication, reduced exacerbations, improved quality of life and an increase in asthma action plan ownership at 3 and 12 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Asthma outcomes in older people can be significantly improved by delivering tailored education that identifies specific patient concerns and unmet needs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Use of the PACT to identify patient concerns and unmet needs will assist health professionals to improve the health literacy of patients by addressing gaps in their knowledge and perceptions of asthma control.
authors.affiliation: RDNS Institute, Royal District Nursing Service, St Kilda, Australia; Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: dgoeman@rdns.com.au.
authors.forename: Dianne
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goeman
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.forename: Eldho
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Douglass
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005260:Female; D057220:Health Literacy / Q000379:methods*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014739:Victoria
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents
keywords: Adherence; Asthma education; Older people; Person-centred care; RCT