Discussions between medical providers and children/caregivers about the benefits of asthma-control medications

Abstract Objectives To describe the content of discussions between general pediatric providers and children and their caregivers about the benefits of asthma-control medication; describe the extent to which these discussions occur; and examine factors that are associated with medication benefit discussions. Design Cross-sectional secondary analysis of audiotaped medical visits. Setting Five primary care pediatric clinics in North Carolina. Participants 35 pediatric providers and 248 children with persistent asthma and their caregivers. Main outcome measures Presence of discussion about benefits associated with asthma-control medications. Results Providers discussed benefits associated with asthma-control medications during 56% of medical visits. Benefits were more likely to be discussed when the child was younger and when medication adherence was discussed during the visit. When providers discussed benefits of asthma-control medications, they were most likely to ask questions and make statements regarding symptom control/prevention. Conclusion General pediatric medical providers often do not discuss the benefits of asthma-control medications. Pharmacists could fill this information gap by counseling both children and their caregivers about benefits that a child with asthma can expect as a result of treatment.