Telehealth for Pediatric Asthma and Allergy Follow-Up
Author Information
Author(s): Prior Sarah J., Bassett Gaylene, Van Beek Emmeline, Griffiths Claire, Sinha Smriti, Shrestha Shrima, Sohal Sukhwinder Singh, Weber Heinrich Christoph
Primary Institution: Tasmanian School of Medicine, University of Tasmania
Hypothesis
What are the patient and family perspectives on a telehealth outpatient asthma review service during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Conclusion
Telehealth effectively facilitated access to care and treatment changes for children with asthma in rural areas during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Supporting Evidence
- Telehealth was reported as a convenient way for more than half of the participants to meet with healthcare professionals.
- Participants indicated that barriers to telehealth were minor compared to its convenience.
- Shared decision-making between clinicians and parents was valued, with many wanting the option for face-to-face appointments.
Takeaway
This study shows that talking to a doctor over the phone can help kids with asthma get the care they need, especially when it's hard to go to the doctor in person.
Methodology
A mixed-methods approach was used, including interviews with parents and children and analysis of clinical audit data.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to reliance on parent-reported data and the absence of children's direct input.
Limitations
The study relied on parent reports for children's experiences and did not use objective measures like lung function tests.
Participant Demographics
Participants included children aged 1 to 15 years, with a mean age of 9.79 years; 60% were male.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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