The use of a work-related asthma screening questionnaire in a primary care asthma program: an intervention trial

The work-related asthma screening questionnaire (long-version) (WRASQ(L)) is a 14-item tool designed to increase the recognition of work-related asthma (WRA) in primary care. The purpose of this study was to assess whether the WRASQ(L) provided additional information about a patient's likelihood of WRA, beyond what was collected in standard care, and to assess the use of the WRASQ(L) in the primary care setting.

This was an intervention study involving two Ontario primary care sites. Standard care for asthma patients in these sites involved completing the Asthma Care Map (ACM), a template for asthma management that includes seven WRA screening items. Participation in this study involved completing an electronic WRASQ(L) at each visit for participants and prompted care providers to record details related to WRA investigations. Ethics approval was obtained from an Institutional Review Board.

The study sample (N = 37) was predominantly female (73.0%), with a mean age of 46.3 years (SD, 10.9). The use of WRASQ(L) identified additional work-related symptoms in 38% and exposures in 60% of participants over and above those identified by the ACM. Two participants were newly suspected of WRA during the study period.

The WRASQ(L) provided added information about possible WRA over standard care. The use of the questionnaire's results by care providers was limited due to barriers encountered in incorporating the use of electronic version of the WRASQ(L) into clinical practice. Once validated and implemented in practice, the WRASQ(L) has the potential to increase the recognition of WRA.