The Development of the Walsh Asthma Self-management Programme and Feasibility of Implementation in Adults With Asthma in Primary Care

Asthma is a common medical condition in Ireland. Adult patients tend to have periods when their asthma is stable and periods when it worsens. In order to reduce these periods of worsening asthma, effective ongoing management is required day to day by adults with asthma. Teaching adults how to manage their asthma effectively, plays a huge role in improving their asthma and having a better overall quality of life. This education on managing asthma has many different parts to it. Most adults will discover they have asthma through their general practitioner (GP) and it will be continued to be checked and managed through their GP or general practice nurse (GPN) in their primary care clinic for the duration of their lives.

This research study is taking place to find out if a new education programme, will help adults manage their asthma better and improve the symptoms of asthma, reducing its overall impact on day-to-day life. This study is also looking at how easy it is to introduce and for nurses to deliver this study within a GP/ primary care centre. This study is to find out if this education programme works in a real life setting and if it can lead to better control of asthma for adults.