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Chaney et al. 2004 Funhaler (Procedure (Participants were approached by…
Chaney et al. 2004 Funhaler
Background
Behaviour therapy and modification (based on operant conditioning) have been major approaches used by clinical psychologists and health practitioners to improve adherence to prescribed medications
Aim of the study is to show that a novel asthma device 'Funhaler' can provide positive reinforcement which leads to improved adherence in children
Research method
Field experiment - conducted in participants homes in Australia
Repeated measures
IV's - whether the child used a standard small volume spacer device, whether the child used a Funhaler
DV - amount of adherence to the prescribed medical regime
Sample
32 children ages 1.5-6
22 male, 10 female
Parents provided informed consent and completed questionnaires and a phone interview
Children from 7 clinics from different geographical areas and different socioeconomic backgrounds
Procedure
Participants were approached by the researcher before the Funhaler was mentioned and were interviewed with a questionnaire on their existing use of the inhaler
They were given the Funhaler for 2 weeks and reported over the phone their use of the Funhaler
Matched questionnaires and interviews were completed by parents after sequential use of the Breath-a-Tech inhaler and the Funhaler
Data collected from the self report related to - how easy each device was to use, compliance of parents and chidlren and treatment attitudes
Funhaler incorporates a number of features to distract the child from the drug delivery and provides a means of reinforcing the use of effective technique
Key findings
Use of Funhaler was associated with improved parental and child compliance
30% more children took the recommended 4 or 5 cycles per aerosol delivery compared to standard inhaler
When using the Funhaler 22/30 parents reported being successful in medicating their children compared to 3/30 with the standard inhaler
Conclusions
Improved adherence combined with satisfactory delivery suggest the Funhaler may be useful for management of young asthmatics
The use of functional incentive devices like the Funhaler may improve the health of children