Impact of a digital web-based asthma platform, a real-life study

Area of Science:

• Digital health technology
• Asthma management
• Chronic disease treatment

Background:

• Digital health technology (DHT) is increasingly used for chronic disease management.
• Previous studies on DHT for asthma control show mixed results but suggest benefits in adherence, self-management, symptoms, and quality of life.
• This study evaluated an interactive web-based platform's impact on asthma exacerbations and healthcare utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a web-based interactive asthma treatment platform.
• To determine the platform's impact on asthma exacerbations and healthcare visits in adult patients.
• To compare outcomes between active and inactive users of the platform.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective data collection from adult patients using a web-based asthma platform (December 2018 - May 2021).
• Categorization of users into active (account activated) and inactive (control) groups.
• Comparison of asthma exacerbations, oral corticosteroid courses, antimicrobial courses, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and asthma-related healthcare visits before and after platform registration.

Main Results:

• Active users (n=106) showed a significant reduction in total exacerbation events (relative decline 0.78) and asthma-related healthcare visits (relative decline 0.84) compared to pre-registration.
• Inactive users (n=41) did not exhibit significant reductions in exacerbations or healthcare visits.
• The platform demonstrated a positive impact on key asthma control metrics for engaged users.

Conclusions:

• Active engagement with an interactive web-based asthma platform can lead to reduced asthma exacerbations.
• The platform is effective in decreasing asthma-related healthcare visits when utilized actively.
• Digital health interventions hold potential for improving asthma management outcomes.