RecruitingACTRN12618001478202

Inhaler technique mastery and maintenance in general medical practitioners: Easy Low Instruction Over Time (Dr ELIOT)

Sponsor

Woolcock Institute of Medical Research

Enrollment

232 participants

Start Date

Aug 31, 2018

Study Type

Interventional

Conditions

Poor use of inhaler devices by health care professionals (specifically general medical practitioners)

Summary

Poor inhaler technique has been a major problem in managing respiratory illness for decades ; it compromises disease control and is associated with an increase in the economic burden of disease management. When inhaler technique education is delivered to general practitioners (GPs), it can improve attitudes and facilitate implementation of inhaler education into practice. The primary purpose of this study is to assess what level of education is minimally required to master inhaler technique in general practitioners and we hypothesize that inhaler technique mastery is not an intuitive skill.

Eligibility

Sex: Both males and femalesMin Age: 18 Yearss

Plain Language Summary

Simplified for easier understanding

Millions of Australians use inhalers to manage asthma and COPD, but research consistently shows that most people — including patients and the healthcare workers advising them — use inhalers incorrectly. Poor technique means the medication does not reach the lungs properly, leaving the condition under-controlled. General practitioners (GPs) prescribe inhalers frequently, but how well do they actually know how to use them? This study, run by the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, tests what level of training is needed for GPs to reliably demonstrate correct inhaler technique. Participating GPs will receive different amounts and types of training, and their technique will be assessed before, immediately after, and some time following the training to see how well it is retained. To be eligible you need to be a registered and practicing GP in New South Wales. Importantly, GPs who personally have asthma or COPD and use an inhaler themselves cannot participate, as this could influence their baseline technique. There are no patients involved in this study — it is about educating and assessing the healthcare providers themselves.

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Interventions

This study involves an intervention that is delivered on two occasions, one month apart (at Visit 1 and Visit 2). Each visit will take no longer than ten minutes. The intervention: At Visit 1, partic

This study involves an intervention that is delivered on two occasions, one month apart (at Visit 1 and Visit 2). Each visit will take no longer than ten minutes. The intervention: At Visit 1, participants are given one of two placebo inhalers and are asked to use the inhaler. If they are not able to demonstrate correct inhaler technique, they will receive education in the form of written information; if then are still not able to use the inhaler after the written information, they will be shown a video on device technique and if following this they are still not able to demonstrate correct inhaler technique they will be given individualised education by the researcher. The same will be repeated for the other device. The same process (intervention) will be delivered with the same two devices at Visit 2 (1 month after Visit 1). The intervention will be delivered by researcher assistants from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research. The two inhalers that will be used are Turbuhalers and Spiromax inhalers. Written instructions for their use have been developed by the research team and based on product information that is available to patients. Video instructions on inhaler use that will be used are publicly available on the National Asthma Council website for health care professional and patient use. The cross over nature of the study is in reference to GPs being asked to demonstrate use of 2 devices, one after the other. In consideration of the fact that receiving instruction on the use of the first inhaler may positively influence the intuitive use of the second inhaler, GPs will be randomly allocated to use of either inhaler first to accomodate for this bias. To ensure fidelity to the intervention, GPs inhaler technique is assessed by the researchers following each level of education until inhaler technique is mastered. The Turbuhaler placebo devices are empty and contain no active ingredients. The spiromax devices contains Lactose monohydrate with approximately 10mg delivered per inhalation.

Locations(1)

NSW, Australia

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ACTRN12618001478202