Patient Perspective on Climate Impact of Inhalers

NCT06097507 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2024-10072
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 54
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The effects of climate change on population health have considerably increased as the planet warms and is thus subjected to more heat waves, extreme weather events and food insecurity. Paradoxically, healthcare systems are major contributors to carbon emissions. Within the field of respirology, choice of inhaler is a low-hanging fruit to address this issue. Metered dose inhalers (MDI) contain potent greenhouse gases and have been shown to have a significantly larger carbon footprint than dry powder inhalers (DPI). The goal of the study is to assess asthma patients' willingness to change inhalers for environmental reasons as well as prescribers' willingness to prescribe a different inhaler for environmental reasons at the patient's request. The study will also be assessing patient awareness of the climate impact of inhalers and the importance that they attribute to this issue as well as other issues (cost and ease of use).

Conditions

Asthma

Keywords

Asthma; Inhalers; Environment; Climate impact

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Rotation of Ventolin MDI to Bricanyl Turbuhaler.

  Proportion of participants who changed their inhaler from Ventolin MDI to Bricanyl Turbuhaler within 30 days of study visit.

  30 days

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Rate of failure of the intervention

  90 days

• Proportion of patients who filled Bricanyl Rx change

  30 days

• Awareness of patients regarding the climate impact of inhalers

  Baseline

• Patients' willingness to change inhalers for environmental reasons

  Baseline

• Providers' willingness to change inhalers for environmental reasons

  6 months

Study Arms (1)

Asthma patients

EXPERIMENTAL

Low risk educational intervention. The consented patients will be given an information packet containing an infographic about the climate impact of inhalers, a letter explaining the option of changing inhalers (which clearly outlines that the Bricanyl Turbuhaler will not cost them more money than the Ventolin) and a pre-filled prescription for Bricanyl Turbuhaler. Also 5 selected asthma providers will be asked to fill a questionnaire on their perspectives on the climate impact of inhalers and their approach to inhaler rotation. This may also be supplemented with a phone interview

Behavioral: Educational intervention

Interventions

Educational intervention BEHAVIORAL

The consented patients will be given an information packet containing an infographic about the climate impact of inhalers, a letter explaining the option of changing inhalers (which clearly outlines that the Bricanyl Turbuhaler will not cost them more money than the Ventolin) and a pre-filled prescription for Bricanyl Turbuhaler.

Asthma patients

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years of age or older
• Followed in the asthma clinic at the Montreal Chest Institute or the Montreal General Hospital.
• Confirmed diagnosis of asthma presenting for a follow up visit for their asthma (defined as positive methacholine challenge test or confirmed reversibility of lung function 12% increase FEV1 (forced expiratory volume) or 200ml absolute value increase post bronchodilator).
• On an inhaled steroid for the treatment of asthma for maintenance as well as Ventolin MDI as a rescue inhaler.
• Stable asthma -not currently being evaluated for an acute asthma exacerbation and no Emergency Room visits for asthma within the last 30 days.
• Adequate lung function with a FEV1 of at least 50% and, where available, a peak inspiratory flow (PIF) of under 60L/m for use of a DPI and MDI.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre: lead

Study Sites (1)

McGill University Health Center

Montreal, Quebec, H4A3J1, Canada

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Asthma

Interventions

Early Intervention, Educational

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Bronchial Diseases; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Lung Diseases; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Hypersensitivity, Immediate; Hypersensitivity; Immune System Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Child Health Services; Community Health Services; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services; Preventive Health Services

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: MDCM, FRCPC, MPH, Assistant professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 11, 2023
• First Posted: October 24, 2023
• Study Start: November 7, 2023
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2024
• Study Completion: June 1, 2024
• Last Updated: August 11, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)