Why is asthma so interesting as a research issue?
We know so much about what asthma is, and how to treat it, yet many people still experience symptoms that have a big impact on their everyday lives. Many people with asthma live with symptoms that can be treated effectively, using tools such as the BTS/SIGN guidelines and asthma action plans. However, somewhere there is a breakdown in communication, as patients do not know that they could be freer of symptoms, or what their own triggers are. With this knowledge they could enjoy a much better quality of life.
I am interested in trying to address this by focusing in on the consultation, making the precious few minutes a healthcare professional and person with asthma have together as effective and efficient as possible.
I believe that there is a reason behind every behaviour, for example people with asthma who do not take their medication as directed, do so for a perfectly rational reason. Often, however, what seems rational to the person with asthma can be underpinned by a lack of real understanding about their own condition and their medication. There are opportunities to improve understanding and therefore self-management by exploring the patient’s views and providing advice and education in ways that are meaningful to that person. With appropriate training, and a positive attitude from the healthcare professional, not much extra time is needed to do this and it can make all the difference in terms of helping the patient.
What do you enjoy most about your work?
The variety – I keep my hand in as a clinical psychologist by working in Liaison Psychiatry one day per week, where I see people who have both physical illnesses and psychological problems. Obviously, my special clinical interest is respiratory conditions so many of my patients have asthma, or COPD or other lung conditions. This gives me the opportunity to find out what it is really like to live with these conditions; and to offer help, such as supporting people in dealing with panic around breathlessness.
The other four days of the week I juggle managing asthma research projects, and medical education (my other interest), as well as leading clinical communication training (consultation skills) at the University’s School of Medicine. I’m also involved in training nurses and pharmacists in asthma and other long-term condition management consultations.
How does Asthma UK help your research?
Without Asthma UK’s financial support we would not have been able to set up a large-scale trial of asthma training in Scotland. This project requires many practice nurses, doctors and patients. The funding will allow us to properly measure if training the nurses and doctors in combined clinical management and consultation skills for asthma makes a difference to patients.
Asthma UK does a fabulous job in supporting asthma research generally. This research gives people working in the area more information on how best to help people with asthma.
What do you hope to achieve as a result of your research?
We hope to show that the training we have delivered to doctors and practice nurses helps them better understand and help their asthma patients by tailoring asthma management to the patient’s own health beliefs and educational needs. If it does work, we hope to find that the patients who see professionals who have received this training, have better asthma control and quality of life.
How we help
Asthma UK research projects for 2008
Our researchers
Dr Jennifer Cleland
Dr Jennifer Cleland is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen. Her main area of research is looking at managing respiratory conditions in primary care.
