In the study, patients attending an asthma clinic were instructed during a two-hour educational session on asthma, its potential triggers, the appropriate use of medications, proper inhaler techniques, and the self-management of their disease. This study was more dramatic in its findings regarding the improving benefits of education. 230 patients were recruited for the study, and 83% completed the study. The group demonstrated significant improvements in lung function. There were also significant improvements in inhaler technique, asthma knowledge and patient's self-rating of the severity of their asthma symptoms. There were also reductions in the numbers of hospitalizations, visits to family physicians and accident and emergency room attendance during the study period. Patients with moderate to severe asthma were most likely to benefit from the program, thus the study concluded that patient education was beneficial.

Defense of Choices

These studies are useful, because while both examine educational initiatives targeting adult asthmatic populations, they are profoundly different in their scope. The objective of the first study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an asthma education program in fairly small a non-specific socio-economic demographic, using a prospective, randomized, controlled, one-year-before and one-year-after protocol. It studied morbidity and compliance...

However, both studies indicated the value of self-care educational programs, particularly for patients suffering the lack of education endemic to high-poverty areas.
Works Cited

Choy D.K., M. Tong, F. Ko, S.T. Li, a. Ho, J. Chan, R. Leung, & C.K. Lai. (1999, Jan).

Evaluation of the efficacy of a hospital-based asthma education program in patients of low socioeconomic status in Hong Kong." Clin Exp. Allergy.

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Cote, J., a. Cartier, P. Robichaud, H. Boutin, J.L. Malo, M. Rouleau, a. Fillion,

M. Lavallee, M Krusky, & L.P. Boulet. (1997, May). "Influence on asthma morbidity of asthma education programs based on self-management plans following treatment optimization." Am J. Respir Crit Care Med. 155(5):1509-14. Retrieved from PubMed on 22 Sept 2007 at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=9154850&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVAbstractPlus