Pharmacists can improve asthma care by offering self-management support
Community pharmacists can improve outcomes for patients with asthma through the delivery of a simple self-management programme, say researchers from Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, London (Thorax 2003;58:851).
Pharmacist’s advice
Patients assigned to
receive advice from the community pharmacist received a review
of their inhaler technique and education on
the following topics: • Basic pathology of asthma
• Recognition and avoidance of triggers
• Inhaler technique
• Self-management skills, including peak flow monitoring or
symptom monitoring
• Action in response to worsening symptoms
• How to access emergency care
• Smoking cessation, if appropriate |
The researchers randomly assigned 24 adults who attended one community
pharmacy for their routine asthma medication to one of two groups. The
intervention group received self-management advice from the pharmacist
with weekly telephone follow-up (see Panel) while the control group received
no input from the pharmacist.
Patients were asked to complete a validated questionnaire at the beginning
and end of the study. After three months, all but one patient who received
advice from the pharmacist reported improved asthma symptoms. In contrast,
symptom scores marginally worsened among patients in the control group.
The researchers suggest that regular contact with the pharmacist allowed
trust and confidence to develop among patients who received the intervention.
“Our package of care could be delivered by any community pharmacist with
an interest in asthma, basic training in asthma management, and a reasonably
private area in which to consult,” the researchers conclude.
However, Professor Chris Griffiths, one of the study authors, told The
Journal that before pharmacists could take on this role further research
is required. “Other larger studies, not usually addressing self
management but more often wider pharmaceutical care, have come to inconsistent
conclusions,” he said. |
