Chaney

• Aim - To show the "Funhaler" can provide positive reinforcement leading to improved adherence in young asthmatics.
• Background - Studies found rates of compliance for giving medication to asthmatic children range from 30%-70%, while using the inhaler correctly was 39%-67%. This does not necessarily improve with seveerity of illness.
• Research method - Repeated measures, field experiment, conducted in the participants' home settings in Australia.
• Independent variables - Child used standard, breath-a-tech, spacer or child used Funhaler.
• Dependent variables - The amount of adherence (Sticking to) to the prescribed medical regime.
• Study participants:

  • 32 children (22 males and 10 females) with asthma needing inhaler for a mean length of 2.2 years
• Study procedures:

  • Parents gave informed consent
  • Completed questionnaires and phone interviews
  • Helped in inhaler use
• Comparison between standard breath-a-tech and Funhaler:

  • Found no significant difference in output
• Study timeline:

  • Participants contacted at home
  • Interviewed with questionnaire on existing inhaler use
  • Given Funhaler for 2 weeks
  • Reported over the phone on an ad hoc basis for snapshots of Funhaler use
  • Revisited after using breath-a-tech followed by Funhaler
  • Interviewed and completed questionnaires
• Assessment criteria:

  • Self-report on ease of use for each device
  • Compliance of parents and children
  • Treatment attitudes
• Parental involvement:

  • Each parent randomly called to inquire if they tried to medicate the child the day before
• Funhaler features:

  • Distracts children from drug delivery event
  • Provides self-reinforcement for effective technique
  • Makes spacers appealing with incentive toys separate from drug delivery
  • Design links toy function to deep breathing pattern for effective medication
  • Allows replacement of toy modules to prevent boredom
• Results - Quantitative data - Use of Funhaler associated with improved parental and child compliance.

  Survey - 38% more parents (22/27) medicated children previous day with Funhaler compared to standard (16/27).

  60% more took recommended dose when using Funhaler (24/30) compared to standard (15/30).

  More report 'always' succesful in medicating child with Funhaler (22/30) compared to standard (3/30).
• Conclusion - Improved adherence, combined with satisfactory delivery characterestics, suggest that the Funhaler may be useful for management of young asthmatics so improving the health of children.