Use of written asthma action plans

Written asthma action plans (WAAPs) are recommended for children with asthma. However, limited studies have examined how parents use WAAPs. The objective of this study was to describe how parents of children with asthma use the WAAPs they receive from their child's primary care provider and to examine their perceived effectiveness. Investigators surveyed parents of children with asthma at an inner-city academic community health center in the Bronx, New York. A structured parent survey tool was developed to collect information about parents' use of WAAPs, and a trained physician researcher interviewed parents in person or by phone. Of 428 subjects interviewed, 27% had a WAAP in the home. Children who had a WAAP were older and more likely to have persistent asthma. Most parents reported that they kept the WAAP posted at home or in another safe place. Eighty percent believed that WAAPs were extremely useful, and 55% looked at the WAAP when their child was sick or when they needed to administer medication. Parents viewed the use of WAAPs to be extremely useful in the care of their children with asthma. Our findings support guideline recommendations that primary care providers prescribe WAAPs.