When asked what asthma is, many people say it is a disease of children that affects few adults. In fact, asthma often starts later in life. Adults over the age of 65 have the highest rates of hospitalization and even death from asthma compared to any other age group. It is clear that interventions tailored towards older adults are needed.
The Center for Managing Chronic Disease is investigating a new intervention based on self-management rather than additional medication as a way to improve asthma in older adults. Using techniques we developed and tested in women with asthma and children with asthma, we created a six-session educational intervention that we are currently evaluating in older adults. Self-management strategies can improve quality of life and asthma outcomes by giving patients control over their disease. After we evaluate and refine the educational sessions in this pilot study, we intend to conduct a multicenter study and provide the techniques to health systems interested in improving the care of older adults with asthma.
About the Center for Managing Chronic Disease Collaborations among individuals, communities, and health systems are required for the proper prevention and management of chronic disease. The projects at the Center for Managing Chronic Disease involve these entities in efforts focused on achieving optimum health and well-being. By developing innovative interventions and by examining how to adapt successful ones to various environments and circumstance, the Center uncovers new approaches to disease management. Our research is in search of solutions that can be widely disseminated and lead to changes in policy and practices.
Asthma is a chronic condition characterized by shortness of breath and airway inflammation. Physicians and patients often erroneously believe asthma only affects children, or that all asthma begins in childhood. In fact, some authors have reported that up to 40% of people with asthma have their first attack after the age of 40.
My current work with the Center is focused on developing educational self-management strategies that can help older adults with asthma control their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Using themes that we discovered through focus groups, we are currently evaluating a teaching tool that can be administered through group and telephone sessions. We intend to use this research to develop a program that can be disseminated to help improve the health of older adults with asthma.
--Alan P. Baptist, MD, MPH Assistant Professor of Medicine, Center for Managing Chronic Disease
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