OBJECTIVE: To improve asthma treatment outcomes in Asians living in Seattle and for whom English is a second language. DESIGN: Pre-post design. SETTING: International Community Health Services, Seattle, Washington. PATIENTS: Asians older than 18 years with asthma and whose native language was not English. INTERVENTION: Pharmacists or pharmacy students provided oral and written asthma education in the subject's native language. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported use of valve-holding chambers and peak flow meters; self-reported asthma symptoms at baseline and 6 months after intervention; number of acute asthma-related (non-routine, non-follow-up) clinic visits during the 6 months before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Thirty-two subjects, aged 42 to 88 years, participated. Subjects demonstrated a reduction in mean number of asthma attacks (3.7 to 1.0, P < .001) and night awakenings (1.4 to 0.3, P < .001). Patient satisfaction with the program was excellent. Spacer and peak flow meter use increased from 7 to 18 subjects (P < .001) and 1 to 14 subjects (P < .0002), respectively. CONCLUSION: Language-appropriate asthma education improved treatment outcome for patients whose native language was not English.
OBJECTIVE: To improve asthma treatment outcomes in Asians living in Seattle and for whom English is a second language. DESIGN: Pre-post design. SETTING: International Community Health Services, Seattle, Washington. PATIENTS: Asians older than 18 years with asthma and whose native language was not English. INTERVENTION: Pharmacists or pharmacy students provided oral and written asthma education in the subject's native language. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self-reported use of valve-holding chambers and peak flow meters; self-reported asthma symptoms at baseline and 6 months after intervention; number of acute asthma-related (non-routine, non-follow-up) clinic visits during the 6 months before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Thirty-two subjects, aged 42 to 88 years, participated. Subjects demonstrated a reduction in mean number of asthma attacks (3.7 to 1.0, P < .001) and night awakenings (1.4 to 0.3, P < .001). Patient satisfaction with the program was excellent. Spacer and peak flow meter use increased from 7 to 18 subjects (P < .001) and 1 to 14 subjects (P < .0002), respectively. CONCLUSION: Language-appropriate asthma education improved treatment outcome for patients whose native language was not English.
Authors: Valerie G Press; Andrea A Pappalardo; Walter D Conwell; Amber T Pincavage; Meryl H Prochaska; Vineet M Arora Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2012-08 Impact factor: 5.128