Evaluation of a mobile health intervention to support asthma self-management and adherence in the pharmacy

Abstract

Background Several effective mobile health (mHealth) interventions have been developed to support patients with their medication use, however hardly any is implemented in clinical practice. Process evaluations and user experiences are therefore important for further implementation. Objective To explore experiences, barriers, and facilitators of pharmacists and patients towards the use of the interactive ADolescent Adherence Patient Tool (ADAPT). In addition, the perceptions of pharmacists towards mHealth interventions in general were explored. Setting Dutch community pharmacies. Methods Pharmacists (N = 24) and adolescent asthma patients (N = 87; age 12–18) completed a questionnaire about the ADAPT intervention. Pharmacists who did not have access to the ADAPT intervention (N = 26) completed a questionnaire on their perceptions towards mHealth. Main outcome measure Experiences, barriers, and facilitators of pharmacists and patients. Results Most patients (78%) would recommend the ADAPT intervention to others, and thought that the pharmacy was the right place for mHealth aiming to support adherence (63%). The possibility to monitor asthma symptoms was highly appreciated by patients and pharmacists. Pharmacists were satisfied with ADAPT intervention (96%), and using the intervention was not time consuming (91%). The ADAPT intervention promoted contact with patients (74%) and facilitated the healthcare providing role of pharmacists (83%). Pharmacists who did not have access to the ADAPT intervention mentioned time constraints and funding as main barriers for using mHealth. Conclusion Pharmacists and patients perceived many beneficial effects and were positive about the the use of the interactive ADolescent Adherence Patient Tool (ADAPT) intervention. This study emphasizes opportunities for mHealth in improving the quality of care, which supports the need for further implementation in clinical practice.