Helping Everyone Exercise and Learn About Asthma (BREATHE Study)
Researchers surveyed patients and healthcare professionals (HCP) as part of the BREATHE study to develop a smartphone app that would help with asthma self-management. BREATHE is “Bringing Real-world Exercise, Asthma Teaching, and Health to Everyone.”
At a Glance: BREATHE Study
- Focus on asthma education. Researchers asked BREATHE participants which topics, such as medication usage and how to avoid asthma triggers, were most important to them. They also gathered ideas to help improve the app’s design.
- Feasibility and usability of the app. Study participants tested the app prototype during a 2-week pilot study. Results showed it was both useful and easy to use. The app earned high System Usability Scale (SUS) scores and Net Promoter Scores (NPS) from patients and healthcare providers.
Why the BREATHE Study is Important
Asthma researchers developed a comprehensive digital asthma self-management platform called BREATHE (Bringing Real-world Exercise, Asthma Teaching, and Health to Everyone). The platform was designed to help people get better access to asthma education and care. Researchers applied a user-centered design approach.
Adults with asthma from diverse cultural backgrounds and healthcare professionals provided feedback on the platform. This helped ensure the app met diverse cultural and clinical needs. The resulting prototype featured:
- asthma education lessons in English and Spanish to promote long-term asthma control
- an exercise tracker
- a digital Asthma Action Plan
The primary goal of BREATHE was to create an asthma app that was easy to use and designed with input from users. It was intended to provide a “one-stop” management solution.
Researchers tested how easy the app was for patients and HCPs to use. The app included features important to underserved communities.
- Asthma lessons. The app focuses on asthma management. It features content written for health literacy and images that reflect diverse populations.
- Exercise tracker. A self-report tool captures frequency, intensity, type, time, and enjoyment (FITTE) of exercises. It eliminates the need to use separate fitness apps.
- Asthma control assessments. The app includes licensed digital versions of the following:
- Asthma Impairment Risk Questionnaire (AIRQ®)
- Asthma Control Test (ACT™)
- Severe Asthma Questionnaire (SAQ™)
- Asthma Action Plan, This interactive digital plan uses green, yellow and red indicators to show level of asthma control and risk of an asthma attack. It also provides daily “to-do” lists to help with asthma management and flare-ups.
- HCP dashboard. The web portal allows providers to review patient data and customize a program to self-manage asthma.
- Easy-to-understand content. All content in the app is at a 4th- to 6th-grade reading level. This helps ensure accessibility regardless of educational background.
- Linguistic inclusion. The app provides educational content in English, translated into Spanish with bilingual voice-over narration.
- Representative art. Imagery, graphics and videos in the app reflect diverse races and ethnicities. This ensures the “human” in the narrative looks like the user.
- Broad compatibility. BREATHE works on iPhones, Android phones, Windows computers and Macs. People can use it on devices they already own.
- Economic considerations. BREATHE is FREE for users. The app takes up about 1 GB of storage space. Developers plan to make the storage space smaller in the future. This way it can work better on older phones and devices with limited storage.
Testing showed that BREATHE was easy to use and worked well for users. People liked that the app included diverse imagery and multilingual support. Researchers concluded the app would help all people but especially those who face barriers to asthma education.
How BREATHE Helps with Asthma Management
Many digital resources focus on a single aspect of care, like symptom tracking or medication reminders. BREATHE integrates management tools into one interface. It centers its design on inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA).
The platform bridges the gap in asthma care for people from under-represented communities and those with limited access to healthcare services.
BREATHE shows that when we design for the human first, the technology follows. And while the app is still a prototype, it is already showing promise.
People want high-tech digital tools that are easy to use and designed with their needs in mind. Since 90% of the population carries a smartphone, tools like BREATHE can make asthma education and support easier to access.
Insights on Digital Asthma Tools
- Daily support for lung health. The tools help you connect what you learn at the doctor’s office to what you actually do at home.
- Help right now. The apps give you tips at the exact moment you need them, such as when you are getting ready for a hike.
- Feeling stronger. Using a digital platform helps you feel more in control and less afraid of your asthma symptoms.
“Can we get a quote from a parent about the subject?”
— quote author.
Development and Usability of a Digital Asthma Self-Management Education Platform: BRinging Exercise, Asthma Assessments, and TeacHing to Everyone (BREATHE)
Gardner, D.D., Tonweber, L., Patel, M., Flynn, S.
2026
JACI: in Practice
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaip.2026.03.024
