IMPORTANCE There is consensus that incorporating clinical decision support into electronic health records will improve quality of care, contain costs, and reduce overtreatment, but this potential has yet to be demonstrated in clinical trials.OBJECTIVE To assess the influence of a customized evidence-based clinical decision support tool on the management of respiratory tract infections and on the effectiveness of integrating evidence at the point of care. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTSIn a randomized clinical trial, we implemented 2 well-validated integrated clinical prediction rules, namely, the Walsh rule for streptococcal pharyngitis and the Heckerling rule for pneumonia. INTERVENTIONS AND MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURESThe intervention group had access to the integrated clinical prediction rule tool and chose whether to complete risk score calculators, order medications, and generate progress notes to assist with complex decision making at the point of care. RESULTSThe intervention group completed the integrated clinical prediction rule tool in 57.5% of visits. Providers in the intervention group were significantly less likely to order antibiotics than the control group (age-adjusted relative risk, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60-0.92). The absolute risk of the intervention was 9.2%, and the number needed to treat was 10.8. The intervention group was significantly less likely to order rapid streptococcal tests compared with the control group (relative risk, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.58-0.97; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCEThe integrated clinical prediction rule process for integrating complex evidence-based clinical decision report tools is of relevant importance for national initiatives, such as Meaningful Use.TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01386047

BACKGROUND: Empirical research and health policies on asthma have focused on children and young adults, even though asthma morbidity and mortality are higher among older asthmatics. OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of asthmarelated beliefs and self-reported controller medication adherence in older asthmatics. DESIGN: An observational study of asthma beliefs and self-management among older adults. PARTICIPANTS: Asthmatics ages ≥60 years (N=324, mean age 67.4±6.8, 28 % white, 32 % black, 30 % Hispanic) were recruited from primary care practices in New York City and Chicago. MAIN MEASURES: Self-reported controller medication adherence was assessed using the Medication Adherence Report Scale. Based on the Common Sense Model of Self-Regulation, patients were asked if they believe they only have asthma with symptoms, their physician can cure their asthma, and if their asthma will persist. Beliefs on the benefit, necessity and concerns of treatment use were also assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association of beliefs with self-reported medication adherence. KEY RESULTS: The majority (57.0 %) of patients reported poor adherence. Poor self-reported adherence was more common among those with erroneous beliefs about asthma illness and treatments, including the "no symptoms, no asthma" belief (58.7 % vs. 31.7 %, respectively, p<0.001), "will not always have asthma" belief (34.8 % vs. 12.5 %, p<0.001), and the "MD can cure asthma" belief (21.7 % vs. 9.6 %, p=0.01). Adjusting for illness beliefs, treatment beliefs and demographics, patients with a "no symptoms, no asthma" belief had lower odds of having good self-reported adherence CONCLUSIONS: Illness and treatment beliefs have a strong influence on self-reported medication adherence in older asthmatics. Interventions to improve medication adherence in older asthmatics by modifying illness and treatment beliefs warrant study.

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Background/Objectives: Older adults asthmatics experience high rates of morbidity and mortality yet little is known about their self-management behaviors. We examined self-management behaviors, including medication adherence and inhaler technique, among older adults and their association with health literacy. Design: Observational cohort study. Setting: Primary care and pulmonary specialty practices in two tertiary academic medical centers and three Federally Qualified Health Centers in New York City, NY and Chicago, IL. Participants: Adults with moderate or severe persistent asthma, ages 60 years and older (n=433). Measurements: Outcomes were adherence to asthma controller medications, metered dose inhaler (MDI) and dry powder inhaler (DPI) techniques, having a usual asthma physician, and avoidance of four common triggers. Health literacy was assessed with the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Results: The mean age was 67 years and 36% had marginal or low health literacy. Adherence was low (38%) overall and worse among individuals with low health literacy (22% vs. 47%, p<0.0001) and after adjusting for demographic factors and health status (odds ratio [OR] 0.48, 95% confidence [CI] 0.31-0.73). Similarly, inhaler technique was poor: only 38% and 54% had good MDI and DPI technique, respectively. Technique was worse among those with low health literacy (MDI technique: OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.38-0.85; DPI technique: OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.71). Asthma self-monitoring and avoidance of triggers occurred infrequently but were less consistently associated with low health literacy. Conclusion: Adherence to medications and inhaler technique are poor among older asthmatics, and worse among those with low health literacy. Clinicians should routinely assess controller medication adherence and inhaler technique, and use low-literacy communication strategies to support self-management in older asthmatics.

In this cohort of elderly inner-city participants, depressive symptoms were associated with poorer asthma control and quality of life, as well as with lower rates of adherence to controller medications. Future work exploring possible mediators, including adherence, might elucidate the relationship between depression and poorer asthma outcomes in this population.