Do written asthma action plans reduce hospital admissions?

A 6-year-old girl presents for a routine asthma follow-up appointment. She takes 200 μg per day of inhaled budesonide and uses her salbutamol 3–4 times per week. She has been in hospital three times in the last 2 years. The medical student in clinic asks whether you intend to offer a written management plan as these are used widely in adult practice.

Structured clinical question

In children with asthma [patient] do written asthma action management plans [intervention] reduce hospital admissions [outcome]?

Search strategy

Primary sources

Medline 1950 to May week 4 2008 using the OVID interface limited to the English language: {exp Infant/or exp Child/or exp Adolescent/or exp Child, Preschool/} AND {exp Action plan/ or exp Self management/or exp Written guidelines/or exp Written advice or/exp Discharge plan/or exp Self care/or exp/Education/or exp …