Assessment of Techniques for Using Inhalers in Primary Care Physicians

Abstract

Background: For the optimal asthma management, health-care professionals (HCPs) should properly educate patients in skills in using inhalers. Objective: To evaluate the skillfulness of primary care physicians (PCPs) in the use of inhalers (pressurized metered dose inhaler [pMDI], turbuhaler and diskus) commonly used for asthma treatment. Method: We evaluated a total of 133 PCPs who attended the instruction program for their techniques for using 3 different inhaler devices. Participants completed each step for using inhalers and overall performance was classified as good, adequate and inadequate. The current educations in the use of inhalers to their patients were also assessed. Result: The overall performance was inadequate in 64.7%of the patients using a pMDI, 79.7% of the patients using a turbuhaler and 52.6% of the patients using a diskus. However, 91 PCPs (68.4%) reported that they educated their patients in inhaler techniques. Three and more exposures to the course training in using inhalers were significantly associated with appropriate inhaler techniques in turbuhaler(P=0.018) and diskus (P=0.0002).Conclusion: The skillfulness of PCPs in the use of inhalers was not enough to educate asthmatics. Therefore it is mandatory to develop and implement the effective instruction programs for HCPs in the primary care field. (Korean J Asthma Allergy Clin Immunol 2011;31:116-123)