Aim: To ascertain if the Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI) could be adapted for use in asthma management, and to use it to evaluate "enablement" in patients with asthma randomised to either a fixed or adjustable medication dosing regime.
Methods: The original Patient Enablement Instrument was modified by making a minor change to the opening statement. 228 adults with asthma from 72 UK general practices were recruited to the study. The internal and external consistencies of the modified PEI were assessed. Individual scores were compared across treatment groups.
Results: The modified PEI had high internal consistency. There was a significant correlation between modified PEI total score and change in Mini Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire. A significantly greater proportion of patients using adjustable medication dosing had a clinically relevant treatment benefit.
Conclusions: The Patient Enablement Instrument can be used to measure "enablement" in asthma.