A randomized controlled study of a computerized limited education program among young adults with asthma

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of a computerized limited asthma education program, designed to suit young people. The study was conducted with 97 young adults (18-25 years) with asthma, 48 were randomized to the intervention group and 49 to the control group, and they were followed for 12 months. The intervention group completed an interactive computer program of 30-min duration providing information about asthma, mechanisms, trigger factors, allergies and medication use, which was followed by a 30-min discussion with a specialized asthma nurse. The control group followed the routine schedule for asthma outpatients. The outcomes of the study were number of hospital admissions, emergency visits, asthma symptoms, knowledge about asthma, lung function and quality of life. No effect was found regarding admission to hospital, emergency visits, prevalence of respiratory symptoms, knowledge of asthma or quality of life. However, forced exhaled volume in 1s (FEV(1)) increased significantly, mainly among the atopic subjects. In conclusion, an intervention with a limited asthma education program did not show an effect on asthma symptoms, asthma knowledge or quality of life parameters.