Cordina 2001.

Methods	Design: cluster‐RT Groups: intervention (asthma education and monitoring); control (routine dispensing services)
Participants	Pharmacies: 22 (intervention 11; control 11) Pharmacy worker: not reported ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Pharmacy user: 152 asthma patients mean age: intervention 41.3 ± 18.35 years; control 45.88 ± 18.11 years % female:intervention 57%; control 39% Setting: both urban and rural Country: Malta
Interventions	Pharmacy worker‐directed intervention: A manual was prepared in the form of a self‐study program with 2 sections: Section 1 dealt with the pathophysiology of asthma and its treatment, including standard intervention instructions; Section 2 provided details of outcome measures and data collection instruments to be used in the study. Delivered by: researcher Type: education Mode of delivery: group TDF: knowledge Duration: 2 evenings; first evening open only to the intervention group and focused on the intervention, the second evening was open to both groups and focused on study procedures. No other information was provided. Pharmacy worker control: only attended second evening and received section 2 of manual ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Pharmacy user‐directed intervention: patients received verbal counselling, an educational video, an information leaflet, and subsequent monitoring with reinforcement. Delivered by: pharmacists Type: self‐management Mode of delivery: individual face‐to‐face; video/DVD; written materials TDF: knowledge, skills, behavioural regulation Duration: unclear Follow up: 12 months (end of intervention) Pharmacy user control: patients were given their prescribed drugs and informed of the dosage regimen, but received no other assistance.
Outcomes	Pharmacy worker: not assessed ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Pharmacy user: Clinical: PEFR Psychological health: not assessed Behavioural: inhaler technique Quality of life: patient's health‐related quality of life Short Form 36 (SF‐36); Living With Asthma Questionnaire (LWAQ) for adults; Childhood Asthma Questionnaire (CAQ) for children aged 14 to 17 years Process: patients' subjective opinions of the services provided obtained through a structured patient satisfaction questionnaire Costs/HCU: hospitalisations, GP visits, days off work
Notes	Funding source: not reported
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Random sequence generation (selection bias)	Unclear risk	Method of randomisation not stated.
Allocation concealment (selection bias)	Low risk	Cluster randomised
Baseline outcome measures similar	Low risk	Some differences, but adjusted for in analysis.
Baseline characteristics similar	Low risk	Some differences, but adjusted for in analysis.
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes	High risk	High dropout and unclear how this was adjusted for.
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Not stated
Protection against contamination	Unclear risk	Randomisation by pharmacists, but patients came from same asthma clinic.
Selective reporting (reporting bias)	Low risk	Not noted
Other bias	Unclear risk	Differences in groups at baseline and attrition may have had significant effect.
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes	Unclear risk	Not stated