Tips
Adherence is a major factor in successful asthma management.
It will be improved by:
- ensuring your patient
understands their asthma and
treatment
- simplifying medication
- adopting a 'partnership
approach' with your patient, and
- teamwork from all health
professionals involved
At each consultation consider
- Does your patient have a problem
with their asthma?
- Is lack of adherence to a
management regimen a possibility?
- Is it possible they don't
understand what is required?
- Do they have skills for
remembering?
- Do they think it's worthwhile to
adhere?
- What are the implications for
them of non-adherence?
These questions may help you create a dialogue and provide a basis for
improved adherence. At Diagnosis:
- How important is your health to
you when you consider everything
else that is going on in your life?
- Do you agree with my diagnosis
of asthma? Are there any
questions/concerns you have about
the diagnosis?
- How serious do you feel your
asthma is?
- How do you feel about the
medications prescribed?
- Are you concerned about possible
side-effects?
- Do you think this treatment plan
will work? What potential
difficulties might there be?
- On a scale of 1 (least
effective) to 10 (most effective),
what would you rate yourself as
being able to do of the things we
have discussed?
- Is it clear to you what we need
to do to help manage your asthma?
For Review
- How is the treatment plan going?
Let's go over it. Are you
experiencing any difficulties?
- How often do you forget your
medications?
- Are there times when you are
more likely to forget your
medications?
- How do you usually remember?
What can we do to help you to
remember?
