An enhanced care package to improve asthma management in Malawian children : A randomised controlled trial

Rylance, S. and Chinoko, B. and Mnesa, B. and Jewell, C. and Grigg, J. and Mortimer, K. (2021) An enhanced care package to improve asthma management in Malawian children : A randomised controlled trial. Thorax, 76 (5). pp. 434-440. ISSN 0040-6376

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Abstract

Background: Shortages of clinical staff make chronic asthma care challenging in low-income countries. We evaluated an outpatient asthma care package for children, including task-shifting of asthma management roles. Methods: We conducted a non-blinded individually randomised controlled trial at a tertiary-level government hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Children aged 6-15 years diagnosed with asthma were recruited from outpatient clinic, stratified by Childhood Asthma Control Test (cACT) score and allocated 1:1 from a concealed file, accessed during electronic questionnaire completion. The intervention, delivered by non-physicians, comprised clinical assessment, optimisation of inhaled treatment, individualised asthma education. The control group received standard care from outpatient physicians. Primary outcome for intention-to-treat analysis was change in cACT score at 3 months. Secondary outcomes included asthma exacerbations requiring emergency healthcare and school absence. Findings: Between September 2018 and December 2019, 120 children (59 intervention; 61 control) were recruited; 65.8% males, with mean (SD) age 9.8 (2.8) years, mean (SD) baseline cACT 20.3 (2.6). At 3 months, intervention children (n=56) had a greater mean (SD) change in cACT score from baseline (2.7 (2.8) vs 0.6 (2.8)) compared with standard care participants (n=59); a difference of 2.1 points (95% CI: 1.1 to 3.1, p

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Thorax
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/2700/2740
Subjects:
?? asthmapaediatric asthmapulmonary and respiratory medicine ??
ID Code:
152668
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
12 Mar 2021 11:05
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
15 Jul 2024 21:23