Inhaler technique errors in Romanian patients with asthma - a multicenter study.

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Digital Health
• Patient Education

Background:

• Non-adherence to asthma treatment negatively impacts disease control and quality of life.
• Limited research exists on the effectiveness of mobile health (m-health) instructional videos for inhaler use.
• Inhaler technique errors are common and contribute to poor asthma management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess and improve inhaler technique in asthma patients.
• To identify common inhaler technique errors.
• To evaluate the efficacy of a mobile health application for teaching correct inhaler use.

Main Methods:

• Seventy-five asthma patients using Turbuhaler, Diskus, pMDI, or SMI were enrolled.
• Initial assessment by a medical professional categorized handling and inhalation errors.
• Patients used a smartphone application with instructional videos; technique was reassessed quarterly.

Main Results:

• A significant reduction in inhalation technique errors was observed after using the m-health app.
• Median errors for Turbuhaler and Diskus decreased from 6.00 to 0 or 1 within six months.
• Median errors for pMDI and SMI decreased from 7.00 to 1 within six months.

Conclusions:

• Mobile health applications delivering video instructions can effectively improve inhaler technique.
• Improved inhaler technique is crucial for better asthma control.
• M-health interventions offer a promising strategy to enhance patient adherence and outcomes.