nu way 2 cntrl asthma
20 November 2007

Researchers at the University of Aberdeen are looking into whether mobile phone-based monitoring can improve symptoms and confidence of people with poorly controlled asthma.

The research, which is being funded by Asthma UK, aims to provide evidence for the use of information technology to address the long-recognised problem of poor asthma control.

The research will involve two groups of adults and teenagers – one group using traditional paper-based monitoring of their asthma symptoms, the other using their mobile phone to record symptoms, medicines and lung function. Instantaneous feedback to their phone will then provide a visual indication of asthma control and prompts about their asthma therapy.

Both groups will be under the care of their asthma nurse and will be treated according to the step-wise approach of the SIGN/British Thoracic Society asthma guidelines in order to gain control of their asthma.

The team will measure asthma control when the study starts, and at three and six months into the study to compare the improvement in asthma symptoms of the two groups. In addition the team will also assess how confident people feel in controlling their asthma.

Dr Victoria King, Asthma UK’s Research Development Manager, said: ‘An important factor contributing to poorly controlled asthma is the low expectation that some people have for the level of achievable asthma control. Most people with asthma should be aiming to have no symptoms nearly all the time.

In a recent Asthma UK poll only 25% of people surveyed told us that the outcome of their asthma treatment meets international standards. Asthma UK is, therefore, pleased to be supporting this project that aims to engage and motivate people with poorly controlled asthma to take more control of their asthma symptoms and treatment, and to understand the goal of their asthma treatment plan.'