Targeted multimodality inhaler technique education pilot to self-identify errors for primarily Mandarin-speaking subjects

Abstract

Objective

Inhaler technique education among non-English speaking patients in the United States is understudied, with communication barriers and language differences serving as important challenges to education. A previous needs assessment at our institution identified an opportunity to improve inhaler education for our Mandarin-speaking population. This pilot study evaluates the feasibility of a multimodal intervention to identify errors in inhaler technique.

Methods

Adult Mandarin-speaking subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma participated in a hospital outpatient clinic inhaler training session that utilized multimedia education. Pre-intervention information on demographics, confidence, and disease control was gathered. Post-intervention, subjects were asked if they would change their inhaler technique and what they found useful.

Results

On pre-intervention survey, eight of eleven (73%) subjects reported being very or completely confident in their inhaler technique. Following the intervention, seven (88%) of those 8 subjects self-identified errors in their technique. Video and handout were reported to be the most useful materials.

Conclusion

A multimodality inhaler technique education intervention helped self-identify errors in inhaler technique among non-English speaking subjects. Implementation and use of language-targeted educational interventions is feasible in an outpatient clinic setting.

Keywords:

• Asthma
• metered dose inhalers
• education of patients
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• vulnerable populations
• communication barriers
• language
• hospital outpatient clinics

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. Fenil Shah and use-inhalers.com for providing access to the videos used in our intervention. Dr. Shah and use-inhalers.com were not involved in the conduct of the study, preparation of the manuscript and decision to submit the article for publication.

Declaration of interest

Except for the use of videos from use-inhalers.com, authors report no other funding source. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.