Can outpatient interventions reduce acute respiratory admissions? A critical appraisal of the literature
New Zealand Health Technology Assessment Clearing House
Record ID 31998008908
English
Authors' objectives:
This review primarily aimed to identify and appraise interventions used in outpatient settings that reduce acute respiratory admissions. Reduction in the use of other health care services was a secondary consideration. Interventions considered included different preventive, organisational and therapeutic strategies. The review was conducted so it would apply to the New Zealand population.
Authors' recommendations:
The studies identified had limitations that should be borne in mind when interpreting these conclusions:
There was little evidence to change current practice regarding self-management strategies in asthma management.
The results of any RCTs assessing asthma outreach programmes should be carefully assessed when published.
The use of steroids for preventing asthma attacks (inhaled) and preventing relapse (systemic) received support.
There was a lack of evidence for outpatient interventions reducing health service utilisation by patients with COPD. This is identified as a subject that requires higher quality research.
Specific groups may benefit from pneumococcal vaccination but those groups are currently defined imprecisely.
A range of methods have been suggested that appear to increase influenza vaccine uptake. These methods largely consist of administrative strategies.
Finally, implementation of any new health care strategy should be carefully evaluated.
Authors' methods:
Review
Details
Project Status:
Completed
URL for project:
http://nzhta.chmeds.ac.nz/publications.htm
Year Published:
1998
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
New Zealand
MeSH Terms
- Ambulatory Care
- Asthma
- Influenza, Human
- Lung Diseases
- Respiratory Tract Diseases
Contact
Organisation Name:
New Zealand Health Technology Assessment
Contact Address:
Department of Public Health and General Practice, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Otago, P.O. Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand. Tel: +64 3 364 1145; Fax: +64 3 364 1152;
Contact Name:
nzhta@chmeds.ac.nz
Contact Email:
nzhta@chmeds.ac.nz
Copyright:
New Zealand Health Technology Assessment
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.