Improved Clinical Outcomes in Asthmatic and COPD Inhaler Users with Multimedia-Acquired Pharmacy Counseling

Abstract

Inhaler users have currently increased in asthmatic and COPD patients, but correct use of the inhalers was reported to be less than half. Incorrect use of metered dose inhalers can introduce serious consequences to the diseases. Pharmacy counseling using a developed multimedia program was proposed to improve the breathing technique in conjunction with proper use of the inhalers. One-group pre-test post-test design with repeated measures ANOVA and paired t-test was used to evaluate the patients at an asthma and COPD clinic in a community hospital in the Northeast of Thailand. Sixty-three participants enrolled to the study. The majority of participants were male, average age was 61.51 years. There were no other underlying disease and average duration of disease was 10.76 years. The post test average score of skill in the use of the Meter Dose inhaler (MDI) increased significantly, from 7.22, 8.54 and 8.16 (p<0.05). In terms of clinical outcomes, the number of emergency admitted form acute exacerbation decreased significantly (from 3.40 to 1.67; p<0.05), the number of hospital admitted form acute exacerbation decreased significantly (from 0.78 to 0.40; p<0.05). Moreover, overall cost of inhaler were decreased significantly (from 3,613.11 baht to 2,643.56 baht; p<0.05). Participants had satisfaction for pharmaceutical care in high to very high level. This study indicates that the multimedia-acquired pharmacy counseling immediately improved the breathing and simultaneously inhaling the drugs in asthma and COPD inhaler users and clinical outcome . However, the improvement is an immediate effect in this group of senior patients who tend to require repetitive counseling.