Evaluation of an educational programme for socially deprived asthma patients

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an asthma educat ion programme in moderate and severe asthma patients in a longitudinal, pro spective and randomized study with a control group. Fifty-three asthmatic p atients were studied, 26 of whom were assigned to the educational group and 27 to the control group. The educational group attended the programme regularly for a period of 6 mo nths. The programme included information about asthma, instruction on the a ppropriate use of medication and training in the metered dose inhaler (MDI) technique, and information about the identification and control of asthma attacks and the recognition of early signs of exacerbation. The control gro up was submitted to the routine tare provided at the Asthma Clinic, with no formal instruction regarding asthma control. The groups were identical wit h regard to severity parameters, skills, lung function and quality of Life at the beginning of the trial. At the end of the study, the education group showed significant differences when compared with the control group education/control (mean values) with respect to: visits to the asthma emergency room over the previous 6 months, 0.7/2 (p=0.03); nocturnal symptoms, 0.3/0.7 (p=0.04); score of symptoms, 1 .3/2 (p=0.04). Improvements were also observed in skills and quality of lif e, knowledge of how to deal with attacks and how to control the environment al triggering factors, 73/35 (<0.05); correct use of the MDI, 8/4 (0.001); understanding of the difference between relief and antiinflammatory medicat ion, 86/20 (<0.05); and in the global limitation quality of life score, 28/ 50 (0.02). It is concluded that the educational programme led to a significant improve ment in asthma morbidity and that the implantation of educational programme s is possible for special populations when these programmes are adapted to the socioeconomic profile of the patients, with a significant gain in terms of the reduction of symptoms and improved pulmonary function and quality o f life of asthmatics.