Author/Authors :
Ali, Asghar Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine - BronxCare Health System, Grand Concourse, Bronx, USA , Goday Pena, Sybil Department of Pharmacy - BronxCare Health System, Grand Concourse, Bronx, USA , Huggins, Charnicia Department of Pharmacy - BronxCare Health System, Grand Concourse, Bronx, USA , Lugo, Franklyn Department of Respiratory Care Services - BronxCare Health System, Grand Concourse, Bronx, USA , Khaja, Misbahuddin Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine - BronxCare Health System, Grand Concourse, Bronx, USA , Diaz-Fuentes, Gilda Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine - BronxCare Health System, Grand Concourse, Bronx, USA
Abstract :
Objective. Asthma education programs have been shown to be effective in decreasing health care utilization and improving disease
control and management. However, there are few studies evaluating the outcomes of group asthma education. &e aim of this
study was to assess the impact of an outpatient adult group asthma education program in an inner-city-based hospital caring for
an underserved population. Methods. We conducted a pre- and poststudy of all patients with asthma who participated in two
structured group asthma education sessions led by a respiratory therapist, clinical pharmacist, and pulmonologist. &e study
period (January 2016 to April 2018) included the year before group education and the year after education. &e primary outcomes
were the number of patients requiring emergency room visits and hospital admission. &e secondary outcomes included asthma
control as assessed by Asthma Control Test scores, use of systemic corticosteroids, and change in test scores postintervention.
Results. Eighty-eight patients received group education during the study period; 82 attended 2/2 sessions, and 6 attended 1/2
sessions. &e study population was largely Hispanic (73%) or African American (25%) and had a mean age of 58 years. Most had
moderate (57%) or severe (25%) persistent asthma. Significantly, fewer patients required emergency room visits in the postintervention period than in the preintervention period (20 visits vs. 42 visits, p = 0.0002). Group education was also associated
with increased asthma control (p = 0.0043), decreased use of systemic corticosteroids (p= 0.0005), and higher postintervention
test scores (p = 0.0001). Conclusions. Group asthma education provided by a multidisciplinary team in an inner-city hospital
clinic caring for underserved and minority populations is feasible and may decrease utilization of health care resources when
patients are educated and empowered to participate in their asthma management.
