INCAS - Integrated Care of Asthma in Switzerland

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of standardized patient education on asthma control. In collaboration with two health insurance companies, pharmacists and pneumologists, patients with asthma were recruited. They completed the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC 5A) questionnaire to assess asthma control and patients' satisfaction with the health care service they received. Additionally, patients were offered the possibility to participate in a patient education seminar run by the Swiss lung leagues or the Swiss allergy centre (aha!). After one year, patients were asked to complete the questionnaires again. Comparisons of intraindividual changes and differences regarding ACT and PACIC 5A between patients with and without patient education were made.

Conditions
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Asthma

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: asthma patient education


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: patients with clinical asthma diagnosis written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: inadequate knowledge of the German language subjects with severe diseases with life expectancy under one year subjects with known Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 59 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Non-Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Intervention<br>Patients participating in a patient education seminar | Behavioral: asthma patient education<br> <br> |
| No Intervention: Control<br>Patients not participating in a patient education seminar | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Comparison of patient characteristics between the intervention and the control group |  | baseline | 
| Comparison of asthma control between the intervention and the control group | Asthma control is measured using the Asthma Control Test (ACT). | baseline | 
| Comparison of patient satisfaction between the intervention and the control group | Patient satisfaction is measured using the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC 5A) questionnaire. | baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Comparison of asthma control at baseline and after one year in the intervention group. | Analysis of change in asthma control (using the Asthma Control Test (ACT)) in the intervention group from baseline to follow up (after one year). | baseline and follow up (after one year) | 
| Comparison of asthma control at baseline and after one year in the control group. | Analysis of change in asthma control (using the Asthma Control Test (ACT)) in the control group from baseline to follow up (after one year). | baseline and follow up (after one year) | 
| Comparison of patient satisfaction at baseline and after one year in the intervention group. | Analysis of change in patient satisfaction (using the PACIC 5A questionnaire) in the intervention group from baseline to follow up (after one year). | baseline and follow up (after one year) | 
| Comparison of patient satisfaction at baseline and after one year in the control group. | Analysis of change in patient satisfaction (using the PACIC 5A questionnaire) in the control group from baseline to follow up (after one year). | baseline and follow up (after one year) |