[Patient education in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Goals, content, pedagogic technics and evaluation of a structured program].

Despite the advances in the understanding of the pathogenic mechanisms, clinical assessment and medical treatment of asthma, an increase of mortality and morbidity has been observed. It is clear from several studies, however, that this discrepancy may be at least partly due to serious short-comings, amongst asthmatic patients, in their ability to judge the severity of their asthma, and their knowledge of medication and correct dosaging, in the event of deterioration. Therefore, to effectively manage asthma structured education programs for adult asthmatics appear to be useful including information about the disease and the medication as well as training of self-management of airflow limitation by the patients. The evaluation of the course of the disease before and after this education revealed a reduction in severe attacks, hospitalization and days lost from work in trained asthmatics.