Asthma Childhood
Conditions
Keywords
inhaler technique, treatment adherence, asthma self-management, nursing intervention
Brief summary
The goal of this study is to see if a short educational session and demonstration by a nurse can help asthmatic children (6-17 years-old), under hospital control, to manage their asthma better, to use their inhaler correctly, and to know when it should be used. The main question it aims to answer is how much improvement is reached on asthma self-management. The comparison group is the same group. Researchers will compare results before and after educational intervention.
Detailed description
The goal of this study is to see if a short educational session and demonstration by a nurse can help children manage their asthma better, use their inhaler correctly, and know when it should be used. The study lasts about six months and has two visits: Visit 1: Participants will do the usual breathing tests, will show the nurse how to use the inhaler, and answer a few short questionnaires. Then, the nurse will give some practical education using pictures and demonstrations. She will explain the right way to use the inhaler, to know the device, go over when and why to use inhaled medicine, and teach the participant how to recognize when asthma is getting worse and what can participant do about it. Visit 2 (after 6 months): Participants will repeat the same breathing tests and answer questionnaires again, so investigators can see what has changed.
Interventions
OTHEREducational Intervention
Educational Intervention: The nurse will deliver a brief health education session focused on: 1. Understanding the treatment. Provide clear information adapted to the patient's level, supported with visual aids. 2. Distinguishing between maintenance and rescue treatment. Explain the role of each medication with practical examples. 3. Assessment and correction of inhaler technique. Carry out a step-by-step demonstration and ask the patient to repeat the technique. Use educational materials (placebo devices, videos, diagrams) and reinforce learning with the teach-back method. 4. Promoting autonomy. Encourage the patient to take part in administering the medication and foster self-management of the device. 5. Evaluating and improving adherence. Suggest daily routines, reminders, and the use of alarms or mobile apps. 6. Appropriate use of rescue medication. Involve the patient in decision-making, promote self-observation, and provide a clear action plan.
Sponsors
Fundació Institut de Recerca de l'Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
6 Years to 17 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Clinical diagnosis of asthma. * Prescribed treatment with inhaled corticosteroid. * First-degree relative of the patient.
Exclusion criteria
. Inability to understand Spanish.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Correct inhaler technique | From the nursing intervention until the following 6 months. | For the qualitative variable "inhaler technique," the Inhaler Technique Questionnaire (InTeQ), validated in pediatrics for the use of pressurized inhalers, will be used. This questionnaire includes 5 items considered critical, with an additional item, "shake the device," added for those using pMDIs. The 5 critical steps assessed are: exhale completely before inhalation, close lips firmly, inhale deeply, hold breath afterward, and exhale slowly, which are applicable to both pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDI) with a spacer and dry powder inhalers (DPI). The item "device activation" was removed, as it is inherent to the procedure and to facilitate practical applicability. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Treatment Adherence | From the nursing intervention until the following 6 months. | It will be used the only specific questionnaire designed to measure adherence to inhalers, called the Inhaler Adherence Test (IAT). It consists of 10 items to be completed by the patient/caregiver when we want to identify patients with low adherence, and 2 additional items to be completed by the healthcare professional, which are specifically intended to determine the type of unintentional non-adherence. |
Outcome results
None listed