Laura Odom
University of Tennessee College of Nursing, USA
Title: Mobile phone asthma action plan application; Use in adolescents
Biography
Biography: Laura Odom
Abstract
Background: Asthma burden affects mortality, morbidity, quality of life, and the economy. The British Medical Journal recently reported that two-thirds of asthma deaths are due to failure to follow recommended guidelines and primary care failings in routine care. Written asthma action plans are standard of care according to national guidelines, but these plans are seldom prescribed. Furthermore, these written care plans are often unavailable at the time of an exacerbation. The purpose of this project was to create an asthma action plan application for smartphones. The goal of the project was improved patient access to their asthma action plan and improved utilization rates among providers. Methods: A development studio was consulted for support in developing a smartphone application to code the software for the asthma action plan and assist in the design process. Following development of the application, a survey was completed to evaluate design and functionality. Results: All survey participants agreed that the application was easy to use, could be used without written instruction and was designed for adolescents with asthma of any severity. Patients and providers noted that the app would help provide information about what to do in the event of an asthma exacerbation and that the application would be used frequently. Conclusions: There was consensus from both patients and providers that this application is not only functional but also helpful in the event of an asthma exacerbation. The project met the goal of creating a mobile phone application that improved patient access to asthma action plans.