ABSTRACT
Nonadherence with an asthma treatment regimen contributes to treatment failure, human suffer-
ing, and unnecessary medical costs. Asthma can be treated effectively; significant improvements
in pharmacotherapy have greatly enhanced our capacity to control this disease. Most notably, an-
ti-inflammatory medications control chronic inflammation in the airways and dramatically
reduce the need for hospitalization (Donahue et al., 1997). Despite the availability of effec-
tive treatments, many asthmatic patients do not adhere to their prescribed treatment and,
consequently are at increased risk for symptom exacerbation (Milgrom et al., 1996).
