[Evaluation of an educational program on asthma for pharmacists]

The purpose of this work was to assess the impact of an educational program on asthma for dispensing pharmacists and their teams aimed at improving patient awareness and self-care (use of consultations, drug use, inhalation techniques).

This retrospective study used a before-after design (T0/T1 year). The patients were recruited by their primary care physician in the vicinity of dispensing pharmacies that had participated in the educational program. Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire. The study population was divided into two groups, patients who were clients at a pharmacy that had participated in the program ("educated patients") or not ("non-educated patients").

After 1 year, there were fewer emergency consultations, more frequent follow-up visits, greater use of chronic inhalation therapy, better control of drug use techniques, and better knowledge of the asthmatic disease in "educated" patients.

This study demonstrates the importance of educational programs for dispensary teams: better response to the demands of patients and physicians, better management of the disease and its treatment, better observance and consequently better control of asthma.