Effect of Two Educational Models including Face-to-Face and Training Pamphlets for Disease Control in Asthmatic Patients

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a common condition in which the patient requires self-management and teaching programs that lead to reduced prevalence and mortality. The main aim of this study was to improve the management knowledge of the disease through the use of educational tools, pamphlets and face-to-face lecture, concurrent with evaluating and comparing its effectiveness in response to treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 82 asthmatic patients were enrolled. Training necessary to control the disease and use of drugs were provided to patients in one group by pamphlets (39 patients) and the other by face-to-face education (43 patients). After a month, Disease control examination and Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 39.12±14.25 years. There was no significant difference between the two groups in age, gender and education (P> 0.05) and no significant difference in asthma control between the two groups before the intervention (P = 0.065). The overall asthma control score in the pamphlet was increased from 15.43±4.99 at baseline to 20.58±4.47 in the assessment after one month education (P <0.001) and in face-to-face training an overall score was increased from 13.27±5.39 to 21.95±2.77 (P <0.001). After one month education, asthma control score was increased 5.23 ± 6.88 in pamphlets group and 8.9 ± 6.32 in face-to-face group (P = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Evaluation of both educational methods showed face-to-face training is more efficient.