Pharmacist SIMPLE Asthma Intervention
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study to evaluate the efficacy of a SIMPLE intervention to support medicine adherence for people with difficult-to-control asthma
IRAS ID
149453
Contact name
Anna Murphy
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Suboptimal adherence to prescribed medication is a common feature of chronic disease. It is an important issue as there is the potential for patients to suffer adverse disease related outcomes through the failure to take medication, or adverse drug effects due to escalation of treatment due to apparently failing drug regimens. Difficult-to-control asthma accounts for significant morbidity and healthcare costs. In Leicester’s difficult asthma clinic (DAC) we have previously demonstrated and published that adherence to inhaled corticosteroids in our population with difficult-to-control asthma is suboptimal and is accompanied by significant adverse outcomes, including an increased risk of ventilation. Although we may be aware people are not adhering to their treatment, limited adherence support is offered and only standard care is provided. Currently, no structured programme is provided to support people and motivate them to change behaviour with their medicines. A structured asthma framework, SIMPLE has previously been developed and evaluated in Leicester for supporting evidence-based asthma care in the community. To date no study has evaluated a model of a specialist pharmacist providing support for medication adherence behaviour in people with difficult-to-control asthma. It remains unclear if targeting non-adherence in this population and proving support in medicine optimisation in this way by a pharmacist improves asthma control and other clinical outcomes. This study will explore and evaluate the efficacy of a specialist pharmacist providing a complex intervention to support medicine adherence with difficult-to-control asthma. This study will not determine which elements of such an intervention are responsible for the clinical outcomes, although findings will help to support future studies.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/1262
Date of REC Opinion
1 Dec 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion