OBJECTIVES: Oral corticosteroids (OCS) are frequently used to treat severe asthma and other chronic diseases, despite the potential risk of adverse effects even with short treatment courses. Tools that increase patient awareness through a shared decision-making process may help reduce avoidable OCS exposure. The objective of this study was to assess the design and usability of a web application tool to educate patients on the risks associated with OCS use.

METHODS: The tool was assessed using an online quantitative survey and interviews with patients with asthma in the USA. Users input OCS usage to summarize their relative and absolute risk of specific outcomes based on results from a separate study. Inclusion criteria: aged 18–65 years, asthma diagnosis ≥2 years, ≥1 exacerbation within previous 12 months, on maintenance inhaled therapy. Patients were questioned on tool design and ease of use, interpretability of information provided, and tool improvements.

RESULTS: Overall, 26 patients completed the online survey and 12 participated in interviews (n=6 for current and previous OCS users, respectively). Tool design: 77% of participants liked the overall look although only 46% agreed with color use, 81% found clear and concise display of information. Information provided: 88% found it easy to understand, 85% found it trustworthy and credible, 81% said it was new to them, while chart/table data presentation was most preferred overall (24% ranked first). Improvements: 73% of participants said they were likely to recommend the tool to a friend using OCS. Interview responses included greater clarity on the tool’s purpose, more guidance on utilizing the results and simpler data statistics.

CONCLUSIONS: Most patients found the tool simple to use and provided valuable and trustworthy information while highlighting prior unawareness of OCS risk. More nuanced risk scoring based on a variety of patient characteristics might improve utility.