A Bristol experience: benefits and cost of an 'asthma nurse' visiting the homes of asthmatic children.

The care of asthmatic children is commonly sub-optimal. Accordingly the costs and benefits of sending a district health authority community nurse, who had specific training in asthma management, into the homes of 43 families with asthmatic children were assessed. During the six months the asthma nurse visited these homes, the children developed and sustained, higher peak expiratory flow rates than 43 control asthmatics. The direct costs of the asthma nurse was 15 pounds/patient/six months.