title: Evaluation of the efficacy of a web-based work-related asthma educational tool.
abstract: Work-related asthma (WRA) has been estimated to account for 15-20% of adult asthma cases. Studies have indicated that a substantial number of asthma patients have inadequate knowledge of work-related effects on their disease, which may contribute to suboptimal asthma control. A Canadian web-based educational tool on WRA was developed to address this knowledge gap in the population.
  
  
  
  To evaluate the effectiveness of this web-based tool.
  
  
  
  Participants were recruited prior to a routine visit at a tertiary care asthma clinic in Toronto. A brief WRA knowledge questionnaire was developed and administered immediately before and after using of the web-based educational tool, and one year later.
  
  
  
  The study sample (N = 34) was mostly female (68%) with a mean age of 50.7 (SD, 17.2). Participants demonstrated significant improvement in questionnaire scores following interaction with the tool. The mean score increased from 76% (SEM = 2.1) to 84% (SEM = 1.7) (p = 0.001). On average, scores improved on 12 of the 13 questionnaire items. A 1-year follow-up of a sample of 19 participants demonstrated a slight reduction in mean scores, from 86% (SEM = 1.9) to 84% (SEM = 1.9), but still demonstrated a trend towards a higher score than the baseline (78%; SEM = 2.9; p = 0.08).
  
  
  
  Our findings suggest that the educational tool has a positive effect on WRA knowledge, and that knowledge may be retained long-term. Future studies are needed in non-tertiary care clinic populations which may possess less baseline knowledge of WRA.
authors.affiliation: a Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Joshua C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lipszyc
authors.affiliation: b Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Simeon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gotzev
authors.affiliation: c University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Scarborough
authors.affiliation: d Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Liss
authors.affiliation: e Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Science, St. Michael's Hospital, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: f Department of Medicine and Dalla Lana School of Public Health , University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada.|g Toronto Western Hospital, Centre for Research Excellence in Occupational Diseases, and Keenan Research Centre, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto , Canada.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tarlo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Prevention; education; knowledge; tertiary clinic; website; work-related asthma