Evaluating a Distance Learning Asthma Education Program for Pediatricians (The DALI Study)

Asthma Clinical Trial

— DALI  

Official title:

Distributed Asthma Learning Initiative

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00815724
• Other study ID #: 621
• Secondary ID: R01HL070771
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• First received: December 29, 2008
• Last updated: March 7, 2013
• Start date: February 2007
• Est. completion date: March 2008

Study information

• Verified date: March 2013
• Source: University of California, San Francisco
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: United States: Federal Government
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has established guidelines for treating people with asthma. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a distance learning program that aims to educate doctors on these guidelines, specifically the use of inhaled corticosteroids to treat asthma in pediatric patients.

Description:

Asthma is a long-term lung disease that affects more than 22 million people in the United States. Symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. Inhaled corticosteroids are a common medication used to treat asthma. NHLBI has established guidelines for doctors to reference when treating people with asthma. Study researchers previously evaluated a distance learning program aimed to educate doctors on the NHLBI guidelines and to improve pediatrician adherence to the guideline recommendations for the use of daily inhaled corticosteroids for persistent asthma in pediatric patients. This pilot study will evaluate a new version of the distance learning program. By using a distance learning program rather than a traditional face-to-face educational program, participants will be able to complete the program on their own schedule, and this flexibility may result in increased interest in the program. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the new distance learning program on changing pediatricians' behavior, attitudes, and knowledge regarding the NHLBI guidelines for the use of inhaled corticosteroids to treat pediatric patients with asthma.

This study will enroll pediatricians. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the distance learning group or a control group. At baseline, all participants will complete questionnaires. Participants in the control group will not take part in any of the educational activities. Participants in the distance learning group will take part in a 1-hour Webinar, or teleconference, that will provide an orientation to the program and discuss the importance of the NHLBI guidelines. At any time between the first Webinar and a 6-week follow-up Webinar, participants will log into the study Web site and complete a training module that aims to educate participants on common barriers to prescribing daily inhaled corticosteroids. As an alternative to the Web site, participants may choose to view the training module on a CD-ROM. Six weeks after the first Webinar, participants will take part in a follow-up Webinar. At this time, study researchers will answer participants' questions and provide a program review. The Web site and study materials will remain available to participants in the distance learning group for 6 months after the follow-up Webinar; a list serve will also be made available to participants. At 1 and 6 months after the follow-up Webinar, all participants will complete questionnaires.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 24
• Est. completion date: March 2008
• Est. primary completion date: March 2008
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Board-eligible pediatricians involved in direct primary care for children

• Has access to a Windows or Macintosh computer with either a CD-ROM drive or Internet access

• Has access to a telephone for teleconference calls

• Willing to take part in the DALI educational seminar if assigned to the intervention group

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Subject)

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Asthma

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Distributed Asthma Learning Initiative (DALI) distance learning program
Participants will take part in two Webinar teleconferences, have access to an interactive Web site, and receive a CD-ROM of study materials and a toolkit.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	University of California, San Francisco	San Francisco	California

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of California, San Francisco	National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in physician asthma knowledge, attitudes, and treatment behavior		Measured at Months 1 and 6	No
Primary	Learner satisfaction		Measured at Months 1 and 6	No