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Childhood asthma: Can computers aid detection in general practice?

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 17:53 authored by Kable, S, Henry, R, Sanson-Fisher, R, Ireland, M, Stephen CorkreyStephen Corkrey, Cockburn, J

Background: Childhood asthma remains underdiagnosed in general practice. Computers with a patient interface have the potential to screen children for asthma in a time-efficient manner.

Aim: To develop a concise, validated self-report measure that calculates an ‘asthma score’ that predicts likelihood of asthma and its severity in childhood.

Design of study: Computerised questionnaire survey in general practitioners’(GPs’) waiting rooms, followed by a written questionnaire and either bronchial challenge or skin allergy testing at the regional teaching hospital.

Setting: Children between 18 months and 18 years old accompanied by a parent or guardian in five group practices in Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia.

Method: The responses from both the computerised questionnaire and the written questionnaire were compared with physician assessment of asthma, based on an existing validated questionnaire and clinical tests.

Results: Six items were identified to be independently and significantly associated (at P<0.05) with the presence of asthma and its severity: parent or self-reported asthma, previous diagnosis, wheeze in the past year, physical activity affected by symptoms, night cough in the past year, and visits to a GP in the past year. From the regression model a linear score was derived that indicates whether a child is likely to have asthma and its likely severity.

Conclusions: The asthma score is a valid indicator of asthma and its severity in children in general practice.

History

Publication title

British Journal of General Practice

Volume

51

Pagination

112-116

ISSN

0960-1643

Department/School

Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA)

Publisher

Royal College of General Practitioners

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2001 British Journal of General Practice

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Behaviour and health

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