A NEW study finds that a digital asthma self-management programme can significantly improve symptom control in adults with asthma. In a large, decentralised clinical trial of 901 participants, those who used the mobile app-based tool experienced greater improvements in asthma symptoms over 12 months compared with those receiving standard care.
Participants were randomly assigned to either the digital programme or to usual care. The digital tool included features like tailored notifications, symptom tracking, integration with wearable devices, and personalised reminders for medication and monitoring. The primary measure was the Asthma Control Test (ACT), a validated tool assessing asthma symptoms and control over time.
At baseline, 550 participants had uncontrolled asthma. Among them, those using the app improved their ACT scores by an average of 4.6 points after 12 months, compared with a 1.8-point improvement in the control group. The adjusted difference of 2.8 points was statistically significant (P<0.001), demonstrating a meaningful clinical benefit. Participants across all demographic groups engaged with the app, although the magnitude of improvement varied.
Importantly, the programme’s effectiveness was moderated by race. African American participants saw a smaller, non-significant difference in symptom control between the digital and usual care groups (1.0-point ACT change; P=0.26), while non-African American participants showed a greater benefit (3.3-point change; P<0.001). This difference was statistically significant in interaction testing (P=0.02), suggesting the need for culturally responsive adaptations to the programme. No significant differences in response were found by insurance status or ethnicity.
Overall, the findings suggest that a digital self-management programme can be a valuable tool in improving asthma outcomes for adults, particularly those with uncontrolled symptoms. However, the observed variation across racial groups emphasises the importance of tailoring digital health interventions to meet the diverse needs of users.
Reference
Silberman J et al. A digital asthma self-management program for adults: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2025;8(7):e2521438.
