Recently, a World Medical Journal, "Journal of Asthma & Allergy Educator", published the results of the study supported by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences entitled "Implementing Quality Improvement Intervention of Pediatric Asthma in Primary Health Care, Al Ain, UAE".

The study aims at improving the standard of the healthcare services provided to children with Asthma at UAE primary healthcare centers through applying the clinical practices guidelines for the care of Asthma in pediatrics to reduce the rate of its incidence and severe attacks.

The study was conducted by Dr. Anthony D. Revel in cooperation with Dr. Latifa Mohammed Al Ketbi, Director of Family Medicine Program, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA).

"The sample of the study included 153 children, from 6 to 15 years old, from seven primary healthcare centers in Al Ain namely Al Mezyad, Al Hilli, Oud Tawba, Al Neyadat, Zakher, Al Maqam, and Al Yahar.

"Comparing the results of the intervention centres with the results of the control centres, the study has monitored a significant improvement in the knowledge of patients and their parents on the reasons and the trigger factors of Asthma", Dr. Latifa said.

"Such Clinical Practices Guidelines included recommendations adapted from international guidelines evaluated by the researchers to check its suitability for UAE. The guidelines deal with actions that should be taken by doctors while following-up children with Asthma such as measuring the child’s exhaled breath on a regular basis and receiving a preventive drug after each Asthma attack according to the measurement of patients’ lung function", she added.

"Also, the study examined the medical files of children with Asthma at these centers. Questionnaires were answered by the patients, or by their parents, to monitor the level of their knowledge on the trigger factors of Asthma", she said.

"The researchers held a series of workshops for the professionals at the 3 intervention centres, including Al Mezyad, Al Hilli, Oud Tawba centres, on the Clinical Practices Guidelines and the optimal use of Asthma devices such as Asthma inhalers and the expiratory measuring set", Dr. Latifa AL Ketbi said.

"Six months later the patients’ files were checked again to monitor significant improvements including the recommendations by doctors for children with Asthma to stay away from asthma trigger factors such as dust or animal fur. Comparing the results of the answers of 70 questionnaire of patients at the intervention centres (before and after the intervention process) with 83 questionnaire of patients of the control centres, Al Neyadat, Zakher, Al Maqam, and Al Yahar centres, the study monitored an improvement in the knowledge of patients and their families on Asthma", Al Ketbi said.

On the other hand, Prof. Najib Al Khaja, Secretary General, Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, said that the Award is keen to support such kind of medical research papers dealing with health issues of concern to the UAE, especially Asthma, 13% is its prevalence rate in UAE.

"By strengthening self-management care of people, many diseases could be controlled, particularly the chronic ones", Al Khaja said.

"Alongside with visits of patients with severe attacks of Asthma, patients should pay regular visits to their doctors to control the disease", he added.

AL Khaja added that the adopted clinical practices guidelines for the care of Asthma in pediatrics is an important reference for doctors within UAE and a good reinforces of the principle "prevention is better than cure".

"Although, we have distributed the adopted guidelines to the most primary health care centers in Al Ain, more efforts should be exerted to prepare ourselves for the potential increase in the incidence of Asthma in UAE", Al Khaja said.