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An evaluation of an innovative multimedia educational software program for asthma management: report of a randomized,
C Homer1, O Susskind, H R Alpert
1Department of Medicine, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Insights
A multimedia educational software program for pediatric asthma did not outperform traditional materials in improving health outcomes. However, computer-based asthma education may offer a more cost-effective approach for children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Health Informatics
- Educational Technology
Background:
- Asthma significantly impacts children's health and necessitates innovative, cost-effective educational strategies, especially in urban settings.
- Current educational interventions for pediatric asthma require evaluation for efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive multimedia educational software program, Asthma Control, for children with asthma.
- To compare the outcomes of computer-based asthma education with traditional printed materials.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 137 children (ages 3-12) diagnosed with asthma.
- The intervention group used the "Asthma Control" software, while the control group reviewed printed materials.
- Primary outcomes included acute healthcare utilization; secondary outcomes included symptom severity, functional status, school absences, and knowledge.
Main Results:
- Both intervention and control groups demonstrated significant improvements in all measured outcomes over 12 months.
- The computer program led to increased asthma knowledge but did not show superiority over printed materials in other outcomes.
- Children enjoyed using the educational software program.
Conclusions:
- The educational software program did not yield superior results compared to traditional written materials for pediatric asthma management.
- While not superior, computer-based education could be more cost-effective, warranting further investigation.
- Improvements in asthma management over time may mask the specific effects of educational interventions; rigorous evaluations are crucial.
Background:
Asthma continues to be a substantial cause of morbidity in pediatric populations. New strategies are needed to provide cost-effective educational interventions for children with asthma, particularly those in the inner city.
Objective:
To assess the effectiveness of a multimedia educational software program about asthma.
Setting:
A hospital-based primary care clinic and an affiliated neighborhood health center.
Design:
Randomized, controlled trial.
Population:
Children 3 to 12 years old with physician-diagnosed asthma.
Intervention:
An interactive educational computer program, Asthma Control, designed to teach children about asthma and its management. Using a graphic display of a child going through simulated daily events, the game emphasizes: 1) monitoring; 2) allergen identification; 3) use of medications; 4) use of health services; and 5) maintenance of normal activity. Control group participants reviewed printed educational materials with a research assistant.
Outcomes:
Acute health care use (emergency department and outpatient) was the primary outcome. Secondary outcome measures included maternal report of asthma symptom severity, child functional status and school absences, satisfaction with care, and parental and child knowledge of asthma.
Results:
A total of 137 families were enrolled in the study (76 intervention, 61 control). Both intervention and control groups showed substantial improvement in all outcomes during the 12-month follow-up period. Aside from improvement in knowledge after use of the computer program, no differences were demonstrated between the 2 groups in primary or secondary outcome measures. Children reported enjoyment of program use.
Conclusions:
This trial of an educational software program found that it did not produce greater improvement than occurred with review of traditional written materials. Because both groups showed substantial improvement over baseline, computer-based education may be more cost-effective. Alternatively, improvements in illness severity over time may overshadow the effects of such interventions. Rigorous comprehensive evaluations such as this are necessary to assess new interventions intended to improve management and outcomes of asthma.
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