Behind the NAEPP Asthma Guidelines

Abstract

An estimated 22.9 million adults and 6.8 million children in the United States have asthma. Historically, high asthma prevalence and alarming morbidity trends continue to be a major cause of disability, placing a huge burden on children, adults, and their families. Research demonstrates that the use of clinical guidelines for the management of asthma improves patient outcomes. The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) first developed clinical practice guidelines offering specific advice for the management and treatment of asthma in 1991. Despite the availability of these evidence-based guidelines for 19 years, their recommendations for asthma management are underutilized in practice. This integrative literature review chronicles the development of NAEPP guidelines and their utilization in current practice. Database searches included MEDLINE, PubMed, OVID, and CINAHL.