Recorded presentation

Adrienne Keller, PhD¹, Elizabeth L. McGarvey, EdD¹, Helen Ragazzi, MD², Lucie Ferguson, PhD, RN³, and Thomas Platts-Mills, MD, PhD⁴. (1) Division of Prevention Research, Dept. of Psychiatric Medicine, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 800623, Charlottesville, VA 22908, 434-924-5522, rel8s@virginia.edu, (2) CARMA, 2025 E. Main Street, Suite 207 21 Professional Bldg, Richmond, VA 23223, (3) Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital, Bon Secours Richmond Health System, 1500 N. 28th Street, Richmond, VA 23223, (4) Department of Medicine, Allergy & Immunology, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 800225, Charlottesville, VA 22908

Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease among children worldwide. In children younger than 15, asthma accounts for 3 million physician visits, 570,000 ED visits, 164,000 hospital stays, 8.7 million prescriptions and 10 million missed school days per year. All pediatric and family practice offices (n=288) in the Richmond Metropolitan Area were surveyed using both web-based and telephone protocols to ascertain practice patterns and continuing education needs related to the treatment of childhood asthma. Eighty-six usable returns were available for analysis (return rate=38%; margin of error=10%). More than 70% of respondents reported that the NIH Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma were useful (43.2%), very useful (21.0%) or essential (4.9%), but 16.0% had never heard of them. Respondents did not necessarily follow the Guideline recommendations: more than a third indicated that they prescribed spacers “in about half the cases” and 16.4% “rarely or never” did so. Only 20.2 % of physicians report that they provide oral and written instructions. Nearly half (46.4%) provide parents with only verbal instruction; 5.5% do not provide verbal or written care plans. Only 11.9% provide written plans to children’s schools. Although all respondents had attended at least one educational event related to asthma care in the past two years, the least common topic was asthma self-management. This survey demonstrates the need for continuing efforts to improve the practice of primary care physicians in the management of childhood asthma.

Learning Objectives:

• The participant will be obtaining useful information about physician use of the NIH Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma.
• 1. Increased awareness of the perceptions of usefulness and utility of the NIH guidelines on Asthma.
• 2. Articulate barriers to use of the guidelines and prevalence of use of asthma care plans.
• 3. Be able to understand the needs of potential professional education needs of physicians on this chronic health condition.

Keywords: Asthma, Adherence

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation