Original articles
Quality of asthma care: Western Cape Province, South Africa
Abstract
Methods. The audit of asthma care targeted all primary care facilities that managed adult patients with chronic asthma within all six districts of the Western Cape province. The usual steps in the quality improvement cycle were followed.
Results. Data were obtained from 957 patients from 46 primary care facilities. Only 80% of patients had a consistent diagnosis of asthma, 11.5% of visits assessed control and 23.2% recorded a peak expiratory flow (PEF), 14% of patients had their inhaler technique assessed and 11.2% were given a self-management plan; 81% of medication was in stock, and the controller/reliever dispensing ratio was 0.6. Only 31.5% of patients were well controlled, 16.3% of all visits were for exacerbations, and 17.6% of all patients had been hospitalised in the previous year.
Conclusion. The availability of medication and prescription of inhaled steroids is reasonable, yet control is poor. Health workers do not adequately distinguish asthma from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, do not assess control by questions or PEF, do not adequately demonstrate or assess the inhaler technique, and have no systematic approach to or resources for patient education. Ten recommendations are made to improve asthma care.
Authors' affiliations
Bob Mash, Stellenbosch University
Hilary Rhode, Asthma Guidelines Implementation Project
Michael Pather, Stellenbosch University
Gillian Ainslie, University of Cape Town
Elvis Irusen, Stellenbosch University
Angeni Bheekie, University of Western Cape
Pat Mayers, University of Cape Town
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Date published: 2009-12-07
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