Can a Short Video Improve Inhaler Use in Urban Youth?

The primary aim was to determine whether watching a short video in the inpatient setting could produce an immediate improvement in pediatric patients' asthma knowledge and inhaler technique.

This prospective, quasi-experimental, pre-post study was conducted in a single center, in Detroit, Michigan, which primarily serves an urban, African-American population. Patients were eligible if they were between 8- and 16-years-old, had asthma, and would be discharged with an albuterol metered-dose inhaler. The primary outcome was improvement in the composite score of a knowledge and technique assessment before and after watching a 5-minute video. The lead author developed the video with content validation by pharmacists, pediatricians, elementary school teachers, and a pediatric health education specialist. Secondary outcomes at 30 days included change in asthma control and whether the video was revisited after discharge.

Thirty patients were enrolled. Their average age was 11 ± 2.1 years; they were primarily African American (83%), female (53%), and insured by Medicaid (87%). The composite score of technique assessment and written quiz increased by 3.53 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.81 to 4.85) of a possible 16 points after watching the video. There was no significant change in asthma control at 30 days as measured by the asthma control test (2, 95% CI -0.53 to 4.53). Eight of 22 patients revisited the video after discharge.

A brief educational video delivered during a pediatric inpatient visit in an urban medical center resulted in an immediate improvement in patients' disease knowledge and inhaler technique.