None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The Practitioner Asthma Communication and Education (PACE) Australia study is a collaborative project of the University of Sydney, The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne and the University of Michigan, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of an evidence–based paediatric asthma program for GPs on GP practice and family health outcomes. We recruited a total of 150 GPs and 221 patients from western and central Sydney. We performed a randomised controlled trial with intervention GPs randomly allocated to receive the PACE workshops. Comparison GPs did not receive the PACE workshops until the end of the study. The PACE workshops comprised two 3-hour interactive sessions led by asthma experts. These sessions focussed on best practice approaches to paediatric asthma management and communication strategies with parents. Outcome measures for both GPs and patients were determined at baseline and 12 months. Following the PACE Australia workshops: 1. GPs reported increased use of the recommended communication strategies with their patients; increased use of the Asthma Cycle of Care item numbers and more frequent provision of written asthma action plans. 2. Families of intervention GPs reported increased receipt of asthma action plans and spacer devices, as well as more appropriate medication use. The program resulted in significant improvements in the way in which GPs manage asthma consultations, particularly with regard to doctor-patient communication and adherence to asthma management guidelines with a resultant improvement in key patient outcomes. The PACE Australia workshops were highly rated by all participating GPs. Here’s what some GPs said: “Improved my communication with patients and my knowledge and use of asthma devices.” “I have been able to provide more useful education to the patients by using the models provided at the workshop.” “I have been more interactive with parents & child, involving child more in treatment planning.”
Interventions
The PACE Australia intervention for General Practitioners (GPs) comprised two structured 3-hour interactive sessions one week apart. Eight PACE workshops were held from February 2007 to April 2008 for intervention group GPs. Attendance was set at a maximum of 15 GPs per workshop. The specific aims of the PACE workshops were to improve GP practice in the following key areas: appropriate use of medications, writing an asthma action plan, communication between patient and doctor to improve adherenc
The PACE Australia intervention for General Practitioners (GPs) comprised two structured 3-hour interactive sessions one week apart. Eight PACE workshops were held from February 2007 to April 2008 for intervention group GPs. Attendance was set at a maximum of 15 GPs per workshop. The specific aims of the PACE workshops were to improve GP practice in the following key areas: appropriate use of medications, writing an asthma action plan, communication between patient and doctor to improve adherence and patient education and giving instructions on the correct use of aerosol delivery devices.
Sponsors
Primary Health Care Education & Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Educational / counselling / training
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
2 Years to 14 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
GPs:All interested GPs in the Western & Central Sydney Area. The inclusion criteria for families were a child between the ages of 2 and 14 years with a diagnosis of asthma; only one child per family was eligible to participate and a level of English fluency was necessary to enable participation in telephone-administered questionnaires.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: only one child per family; parents who aren't fluent in English for interviewing purpose.
Outcome results
None listed