Long-term effects of negotiated treatment plans on self-management behaviors and satisfaction with care among women with asthma.

Objective: To examine characteristics of women with negotiated treatment plans, factors that contribute to newly forming a treatment plan, and the impact of plans on asthma management, and their satisfaction with care over 2 years.

Methods: Data came from telephone interviews with 324 women with asthma at baseline, 12 and 24 months. The effect of having a negotiated treatment plan on medication adherence, asking the physician questions about asthma, asthma management self-efficacy, and satisfaction with care was assessed over 24 months. Data were analyzed using mixed models. Analyses controlled for patient characteristics.

Results: Thirty-eight percent of participants reported having a negotiated treatment plan at three time points. Seeing an asthma specialist (χ(2)(1) = 24.07, p < .001), was associated with having a plan. Women who did not have a negotiated treatment plan at baseline, but acquired one at 12 or 24 months, were more likely to report greater urgent office visits for asthma (odds ratio (OR) = 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.07-1.61). No associations were observed between having a plan and urgent healthcare use or symptom frequency. When adjusting for household income, level of asthma control, and specialty of the caregiving provider, women who did not have a negotiated treatment plan (OR = 0.28, 95% CI = 0.09-0.79) and those with a plan at fewer than three time points (OR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.11-0.83) were less likely to report medication adherence and satisfaction with their care (regression coefficient (standard error) = -0.65 (0.17), p < .001). No differences in asthma management self-efficacy or asking the doctor questions about asthma were observed.

Conclusion: Women with asthma who had a negotiated treatment plan were more likely to see an asthma specialist. In the long-term, not having a treatment plan that is developed in partnership with a clinician may have an adverse impact on medication use and patient views of clinical services.