ORIGINAL ARTICLE

A cluster randomised intervention trial of asthma clubs to improve quality of life in primary school children: the School Care and Asthma Management Project (SCAMP)

E E Patterson¹, M P Brennan², K M Linskey³, D C Webb⁴, M D Shields⁵, C C Patterson⁶

¹ Belvoir Health Clinic, South and East Belfast Health and Social Services Trust, Belfast BT8 4ET, UK
² Templemore Avenue Health Clinic, South and East Belfast Health and Social Services Trust, Belfast BT5 4GR, UK
³ Templemore Avenue Health Centre, South and East Belfast Health and Social Services Trust, Belfast BT5 4FW, UK
⁴ Eastern Health and Social Services Board, Belfast BT2 8BS, UK
⁵ Department of Child Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BJ, UK
⁶ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BJ, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr C C Patterson
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BJ, UK; c.patterson{at}qub.ac.uk

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a programme of asthma clubs in improving quality of life in primary school children with asthma.

Methods: A cluster randomised intervention trial was undertaken in 22 primary schools within the urban area of south and east Belfast, Northern Ireland. Schools were randomised in pairs to immediate or delayed groups. The study subjects comprised 173 children aged 7–11 years whose parents had notified the school of their asthma diagnosis. Children attended school based weekly clubs over an 8 week period. The main outcome measures were the interview administered Paediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire scores, ranging from 1 (worst) to 7 (best), spirometry, and inhaler technique.

Results: Over 15 weeks, small but non-significant improvements in the overall quality of life score (mean 0.20; 95% confidence interval (CI) –0.20 to 0.61) and in each of its three components, activity limitation (0.20; –0.43 to 0.84), symptoms (0.23; –0.23 to 0.70), and emotional function (0.17; –0.18 to 0.52), were observed in the immediate compared with the delayed group. Inhaler technique at week 16 was markedly better in the immediate group, with 56% having correct technique compared with 15% in the delayed group. No significant effect of the intervention on spirometry results could be demonstrated.

Conclusion: This primary school based asthma education programme resulted in sustained improvements in inhaler technique, but changes in quality of life scores were not significant.

Abbreviations: PRECEDE, Predisposing, Reinforcing, and Enabling Causes in Educational Diagnosis and Evaluation; SCAMP, School Care and Asthma Management Project

Keywords: asthma; children; cluster randomised trial; education; quality of life

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Atoms

Howard Bauchner
Arch. Dis. Child. 2005 90: 771. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Watson, W. T.A., Gillespie, C., Thomas, N., Filuk, S. E., McColm, J., Piwniuk, M. P., Becker, A. B. (2009). Small-group, interactive education and the effect on asthma control by children and their families. CMAJ 181: 257-263 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Coffman, J. M., Cabana, M. D., Yelin, E. H. (2009). Do School-Based Asthma Education Programs Improve Self-Management and Health Outcomes?. Pediatrics 124: 729-742 [Abstract] [Full Text]