DefinePK

Abstract

Background: Pediatric asthma is a growing public health concern in Pakistan, often compounded by poor medication adherence and low asthma control levels. Digital health interventions (DHIs) are emerging as promising tools to enhance treatment compliance and improve clinical outcomes.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of DHIs in improving medication adherence and clinical outcomes among asthmatic children in Pakistan.
Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled trial was conducted at Children’s Hospital Lahore from January 2024 to January 2025. A total of 240 children aged 6–17 years with diagnosed persistent asthma were randomly allocated to the intervention group (n=120), receiving a DHI package (smart inhaler, mobile app, educational content, and teleconsultations), or to the control group (n=120), receiving standard care. Outcomes measured included medication adherence, Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores, frequency of asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits, and spirometric measures (FEV₁%). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v28.
Results: The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher medication adherence (mean 86.2%) vs. the control group (65.5%, p<0.001). ACT scores improved more significantly in the intervention group (mean 22.4 vs. 18.1, p<0.001). The frequency of ED visits was reduced by 39% in the intervention group. FEV₁ values improved significantly from baseline in the intervention group (mean increase of 13.1%) compared to the control group (4.6%, p=0.002).
Conclusion: Digital health interventions significantly improve medication compliance and clinical outcomes among asthmatic children in Pakistan. These findings support the integration of DHIs into routine pediatric asthma management in low- and middle-income countries.