MANAGEMENT OF ASTHMA AND COPD PHARMACOTHERAPY IN PRIMARY CARE: EVALUATION OF PRIOR KNOWLEDGE AND PHARMACEUTICAL TRAINING OF COMMUNITY HEALTH AGENTS

Abstract

This study assessed the prior knowledge of Community Health Agents (CHAs) about asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and implemented pharmaceutical training aimed at managing pharmacotherapy, adherence to treatment and the correct use of inhaler devices. This is a quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a descriptive and analytical approach, carried out with five CHAs from a Basic Health Unit in the interior of Paraíba. They were all women, aged between 42 and 51 and had completed high school. The participants were given an evaluation questionnaire before and after the training. The results showed a significant improvement in performance, with a significant increase in the number of correct answers and in the learning index, demonstrating the positive impact of the intervention.