Evaluation of Practice Tools for Asthma and Cough in Primary Care: A Knowledge-to-Action Perspective.

Asthma and cough are two common chronic conditions whose incidence could be reduced with appropriate prevention and treatment measures. Practice tools can be effective in helping to translate emerging research evidence into clinical practice. This study assesses the extent to which two asthma and cough practice tools are used in primary care. Thirty-six primary care physicians completed a questionnaire on the use, usefulness, and relevance of the two tools, and identified barriers to their use. Results show that the tools are seldom used, even though physicians find them useful and adapted to their practice. Time constraints are the primary barrier to use, followed by a lack of organizational resources. Findings from the study will inform the continued development of effective knowledge transfer tools that are aligned with the specific practice contexts of primary care physicians.