DEVELOPING/MARKETING AN ASTHMA SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS THREEFOLD: PART I WILL LAST APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS; THE GOAL OF THIS SEGMENT WILL BE TO DEVELOP ALL COMPONENTS REQUIRED FOR A SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR ALL ASTHMATIC PATIENTS. THIS WILL ENTAIL, IN PART, REFINING AND VIDEOTAPING PORTIONS OF A PROGRAM WITH PROVEN EFFICIENCY, WHEEZERS ANONYMOUS. IN ADDITION, RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF PAPER-AND-PENCIL INSTRUMENTS USED TO ASSESS THE PROGRAM WILL BE REFINED AND TESTED. PART II WILL FEATURE APPLICATION OF THE SELF-MANAGEMENT PROGRAM TO TWO GROUPS: (A) ASTHMATIC ADULTS; AND, (B) PARENTS OF ASTHMATIC CHILDREN. THE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN INVOLVES RANDOM ASSIGNMENT OF SUBJECTS TO EITHER AN INTERVENTION GROUP OR A WAITING-LIST CONTROL GROUP; IT IS ANTICIPATED THIS SEGMENT OF THE PROGRAM WILL OCCUR IN THE REMAINING THREE MONTHS OF THE STUDY. CONCURRENTLY, PART III WILL INVOLVE A PRELIMINARY MARKETABILITY ANALYSIS OF THE PROSPECT OF INTRODUCING WHEEZERS ANONYMOUS TO OTHER PATIENTS IN OTHER SETTINGS. DATA GATHERED DURING THIS INVESTIGATION, REGARDED AS PHASE I OF A LARGER INVESTIGATION ON DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A SELF-MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR ASTHMA, WILL BE ANALYZED AND PRESENTED. INFORMATION COLLECTED AND ANALYZED ON MARKETABILITY OF THE PROGRAM WILL BE USED TO INCREASE UTILIZATION OF THE MATERIALS DEVELOPED UNDER AUSPICES OF THIS GRANT.