Barbanel 2003.
Methods | Randomised controlled trial | |
Participants | 24 adults from a socioeconomically deprived, ethnically mixed area in the United Kingdom (Tower Hamlets in London) with GP diagnosed asthma | |
Interventions | Following attendance at a 3‐day training course on asthma care at the London Chest Hospital, a number of pharmacists were allocated a group of adults to educate. The pharmacists then delivered an educational session on asthma topics and reviewed inhaler technique, and use of a Peak Expiratory Flow Meter, taking a minimum of 45 minutes. They gave the patients supporting literature and a self‐management plan. The pharmacists then phoned the participants on a weekly basis for 3 months in order to give encouragement, answer questions and encourage patients to return to the pharmacy with any problems. The control group received no input from the pharmacist |
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Outcomes | Primary outcome measure was asthma symptoms as measured using the North of England Asthma Symptoms Scale completed at baseline and 3 months after intervention | |
Notes | — | |
Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | “Subjects were randomised to intervention or control groups” |
Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Low risk | "randomised using sealed envelopes" |
Blinding (performance bias and detection bias) All outcomes | High risk | Unable to blind participants from intervention or control |
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Low risk | One participant moved away and their data were imputed using appropriate methods |
Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Low risk | No evidence of selective reporting |
Other bias | Low risk | No evidence of other bias |