Gender differences in metered-dose inhaler-spacer device technique

Study Objective. To determine whether gender affects the correct use of a m etered-dose inhaler (MDI)-spacer device. Design. Prospective, observational study. Setting. University classrooms. Patients. Eighty-three students in their third year of a Doctor of Pharmacy program. Intervention. Students were given the device and received 20 minutes of edu cation on its use. They then were asked to perform the technique. Assessmen t and retraining were done, as necessary, by clinicians who were experience d with the device. Students returned 1 week later to perform the technique again. Measurements and Main Results. The performance of men versus women was anal yzed with chi (2) tests and the Student's t test. Power analysis indicated that 30 students were needed in each group. Conclusion. There were no significant differences between men and women in proper MDI-spacer technique.