AN EVALUATION OF THE ACTION PLANS OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA

Objective: To assess the provision and use of action plans in children attending hospital because of asthma. Methodology: An interviewer administered a structured questionnaire to the parents of 279 children attending the Casualty Department, Outpatient clinics or admitted to hospital because of asthma, at two Level 3 teaching hospitals. Results: Only 82 (29%) of the children attending hospital had a written action plan. The majority (57%) were devised by paediatricians and covered the salient aspects of care. However, indications for steroid use were included in only 28% of plans and only 37% of the action plans in children over 5 years incorporated the use of peak flow meters. Conclusion: Action plans are still under-utilized in children with asthma. General practitioners should be encouraged to consider the use of action plans for the group of children not already covered.