Asthma Control Tool

Overview:

The Asthma Control Tool is a mobile application developed to provide comprehensive assessment and management solutions for both healthcare professionals and patients managing asthma. Asthma, a chronic respiratory condition characterized by inflammation of the airways, requires careful monitoring and management to ensure optimal control and minimize symptoms. Recognizing the significance of accurate assessment in guiding treatment decisions, the Asthma Control Tool offers a sophisticated approach to evaluating asthma control levels through a detailed questionnaire. This questionnaire serves as a tool for assessing various aspects of asthma management, empowering both healthcare professionals and patients to make informed decisions regarding treatment strategies and lifestyle modifications.

Built upon Research:

The Asthma Control Tool is developed based on research conducted by the Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Published in BMC Pulmonary Medicine in 2021, this pioneering study laid the groundwork for the Asthma Control Patient Reported Outcome Measure (AC-PROM)¹, a cornerstone in understanding asthma management.

Harnessing these research insights, the Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, designed and developed this app to address the pressing need for accessible and accurate asthma assessment tools.

Key Features:

*) Comprehensive Questionnaire: The app features a comprehensive questionnaire derived from the AC-PROM research, designed to gather detailed information about asthma symptoms, triggers, and management strategies.

*) Scoring and Feedback: Leveraging research conducted by the Department of Pharmacology, the app calculates a score based on the user's questionnaire responses. It offers clear feedback on the level of asthma control, providing valuable insights for both healthcare professionals and patients to evaluate the effectiveness of current treatment plans.

*) Assessment History: Users have access to a comprehensive history of asthma assessments within the app, enabling them to review past evaluations and monitor changes in their asthma condition over time.

*) Language Customization: The app currently supports English and Tamil versions of the questionnaire, catering to users who prefer either language. Additionally, the developers are committed to inclusivity and accessibility by offering to integrate questionnaire versions in other languages upon user request, ensuring that the app remains accessible to a diverse user base.

Reference:

Guruparan Y, Navaratinaraja TS, Selvaratnam G, et al. Development and validation of a set of patient-reported outcome measures to assess effectiveness of asthma prophylaxis. BMC Pulm Med. 2021;21(1):295. doi:10.1186/s12890-021-01665-6.