A survey about inhaler technique between healthcare providers and patients

Abstract

Abstract Background Appropriate inhaler techniques can enhance drug effectiveness and reduce side effects. However, limited research has explored how healthcare workers (HCWs) use inhalers. Aim This study assessed inhaler techniques in adult patients and compared Pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDI) between patients and HCWs and identified predictors of improper inhaler use. Patients and methods Our studied group was two groups; first group included 199 patients [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma], and second group included healthcare providers: 80 physicians and 61nurses. We evaluated the inhalers techniques used by adult patients and compared the pMDI technique between patients and their HCWs. Results COPD patients were older (57.35 ± 10.25 years) than asthma patients (39.42 ± 8.83 years). Pulmonologists and internists demonstrated the best pMDI usage, on the other hand, the step of inhalation slowly while activating the pMDI was done incorrectly in respiratory and internist nurses, respectively, (10, 22.6%) in comparison to only 3.7% of patients. After adjusting other variables in the multivariate model, years of experience were the only significant predictor of inhaler errors among HCWs ( P <0.001), while hospital admissions ( P =0.040) and illness duration ( P =0.034) were the only significant predictors among patients using pMDI. Conclusion Inaccurate inhalation technique is prevalent among COPD and asthma patients. It is fundamental to ensure that healthcare providers, particularly nurses, are qualified to teach patients the proper inhaler technique. Ongoing monitoring and reassessment of patients’ inhalation techniques by healthcare providers are also fundamental for effective patient management.