Evaluation of a nurse-run asthma school

Important aims of the study were to investigate whether an educational program (the `Asthma School') directed by a nurse led to improved knowledge of the disease, to improved self-medication and self-management and to improved, self-rated, functional status. A total of 32 patients (6 males, 26...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of nursing studies 1999-04, Vol.36 (2), p.145-151
Main Authors: Pettersson, Eva, Gardulf, Ann, Nordström, Gun, Svanberg-Johnsson, Christina, Bylin, Gunnar
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Anti-Asthmatic Agents - therapeutic use
Asthma
Asthma - nursing
Biological and medical sciences
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Health Status
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Medicin och hälsovetenskap
Middle Aged
Nurses
Nursing
Patient education
Patient Education as Topic - methods
Pneumology
Prevention and actions
Program Evaluation
Public health. Hygiene
Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine
Respiratory Function Tests
Self Care
Selfmanagement
Smoking Cessation
Specific populations (family, woman, child, elderly...)
Sweden
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Important aims of the study were to investigate whether an educational program (the `Asthma School') directed by a nurse led to improved knowledge of the disease, to improved self-medication and self-management and to improved, self-rated, functional status. A total of 32 patients (6 males, 26 females, mean age 43 years) was included. The following methods were used to collect the data before and one year after the Asthma School was completed; two study-specific questionnaires for collecting demographic data and measuring different aspects of the patients' knowledge of the disease and its treatment, monthly diary cards, lung-function tests (FEV 1) and the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) questionnaire. The main results of the study were an improved knowledge of the disease and its treatment, better self-management, i.e. more frequent use of the peak expiratory flow meter (PEF-meter) and use of inhaled bronchodilators on an as-required basis, fewer patients on sick-leave and a better, self-rated, physical health status. However, in spite of these encouraging results, the lungfunction was found to be unaffected, no pronounced changes in the use of asthma drugs could be found and the patients' need for medical care remained the same.
ISSN:0020-7489
1873-491X
DOI:10.1016/S0020-7489(99)00004-8