The effect of a structured education program on knowledge and psychomotor skills of patients using beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol for steroid dependent asthma.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a structured education program on knowledge and psychomotor skills of subjects using inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate. The sample was comprised of 26 male outpatients with a mean age of sixty years (range 49-69 yrs) and mean educational level of 11 years (range 7-18 yrs). Subjects were tested to assess knowledge of drug action, self-administration, and side effects. Skill in self-administration was assessed by two independent raters who were blind to group assignment. Then, patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 13), who received a structured educational program, or a control group (n = 13), who received no structured educational interventions. Patients were retested four weeks after randomization. Subjects in the experimental and control groups did not differ significantly with respect to their initial mean knowledge and performance scores. The post-test mean knowledge score was significantly higher when compared to initial score for each group. Mean knowledge score at post-test did not differ significantly between groups. However, when comparing post-test performance scores to initial scores the experimental group had a significantly greater increase in mean score than the control group. It is concluded that a structured patient education program is an effective method for improving the psychomotor skills necessary for proper use of beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol.