TABLE 1.
Baseline demographics and disease characteristics of intervention and control (includes dropouts) groups
|
Group |
||
|---|---|---|
| Intervention, % (n=104) | Control, % (n=162) | |
| Demographic | ||
| Age range, years | ||
| 6–7 | 21.2 | 27.8 |
| 8–10 | 73.1 | 66.7 |
| 11–13 | 5.8 | 5.6 |
| Male sex | 55.8 | 66.7 |
| Live in town or city | 90.3 | 85.2 |
| Other medical problems | 32.4 | 41.8 |
| Seasonal asthma | 86.1 | 80.2 |
| Ever had an allergic reaction | 63.5 | 72.2 |
| Life-threatening allergic reaction | 22.2 | 24.3 |
| Past asthma education | 53.4 | 62.3 |
| Education >2 years previously | 29.2 | 32.7 |
| Limitation of activity | ||
| Impact of asthma | ||
| Never | 6.8 | 11.2 |
| Rarely | 73.8 | 64.0 |
| Frequently | 18.4 | 23.6 |
| Seriously | 1.0 | 1.2 |
| Missed school days in past year | 67.0 | 54.2 |
| Limited in nature of play | 48.5 | 36.6 |
| Limited in amount of play | 55.3 | 55.9 |
| Level of control/severity | ||
| Unscheduled doctor visit in the past year | 56.3 | 57.5 |
| ED visits in past year | 18.4 | 18.5 |
| Ever in intensive care unit | 7.9 | 5.0 |
| Use of medication | ||
| Used inhaled short-acting bronchodilators in past 2 weeks | 39.4 | 38.9 |
| Used inhaled steroids in past 2 weeks | 34.6 | 35.8 |
| Used inhaled steroids only when sick | 57.8 | 71.7 |
| Used short course of oral steroids in past year | 20.7 | 18.6 |
| Uses correct medication for quick relief | 65.3 | 58.4 |
| Uses correct medication to prevent symptoms | 25.7 | 19.9 |
| Experienced side effects | 42.3 | 35.4 |
| Environment | ||
| Any smoke in home* | 41.7 | 23.0 |
| Cat(s) in the home | 20.4 | 17.9 |
| Animals in the home | 41.7 | 30.9 |
| Management behaviour | ||
| Have written action plan | 26.0 | 23.0 |
| Use peak flow meter | 31.7 | 37.0 |
| Avoid triggers | 28.9 | 37.1 |
| Carry epinephrine | 14.1 | 12.3 |
*
P<0.05. ED Emergency department