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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2009 Apr;123(4):840-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaci.2009.01.053.

Individualized asthma self-management improves medication adherence and markers of asthma control

Susan L Janson  1 , Kelly Wong McGrath, Jack K Covington, Su-Chun Cheng, Homer A Boushey
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Individualized asthma self-management improves medication adherence and markers of asthma control

Susan L Janson et al. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2009 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Adherence to inhaled anti-inflammatory therapy and self-management skills are essential parts of the asthma treatment plan to improve asthma control and prevent exacerbations. Whether self-management education improves long-term medication adherence is less clear.

Objective: A 24-week prospective, randomized controlled trial was performed to study the effect of self-management education on long-term adherence to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy and markers of asthma control.

Methods: After stabilization on ICS medication during a run-in phase, 95 adults with moderate-to-severe asthma were recruited from a large metropolitan community, and 84 were randomized to individualized self-management education, including self-monitoring of symptoms and peak flow or usual care with self-monitoring alone. The key components of the 30-minute intervention were asthma information, assessment, and correction of inhaler technique; an individualized action plan based on self-monitoring data; and environmental control strategies for relevant allergen and irritant exposures. The intervention was personalized based on pulmonary function, allergen skin test reactivity, and inhaler technique and reinforced at 2-week intervals.

Results: Participants randomized to the self-management intervention maintained consistently higher ICS adherence levels and showed a 9-fold greater odds of more than 60% adherence to the prescribed dose compared with control subjects at the end of the intervention (P = .02) and maintained a 3-fold greater odds of higher than 60% adherence at the end of the study. Perceived control of asthma improved (P = .006), nighttime awakenings decreased (P = .03), and inhaled beta-agonist use decreased (P = .01) in intervention participants compared with control subjects.

Conclusion: Our results show that individualized asthma self-management education attenuates the usual decrease in medication adherence and improves clinical markers of asthma control.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None of the authors of this article have any conflict of interest in the sense of the ICMJE requirements for manuscripts.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Enrollment Flowchart
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean Adherence to Inhaled Corticosteroid Over 6 Months.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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