Fewer than 10 percent of children who have asthma use traditional inhalers correctly, according to a new University study.

Inhalers designed recently have more success with these children, but at most only 25 percent use these correctly, according to the study, which is published online in the journal Pediatrics.

Health care costs related to asthma are estimated at more than $6 billion a year.

The research was led by Betsy Sleath of the Eshelman School of Pharmacy. The group studied 296 patients aged eight to 16 years old who used four different devices to treat their asthma.

The study was funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. It was also supported by a grant from the National Center of Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health.