The impact on health status in short- and long-terms of a novel and non-orthodox real-world COPD rehabilitation effort in rural India: an appraisal

Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis. 2018 Oct 15:13:3313-3319. doi: 10.2147/COPD.S160665. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Background: Rehabilitation has been an integral part of management of COPD. Since the implementation of the standard rehabilitation protocol is hardly possible in the rural developing world, aiming to make a feasible alternate effort may be worthwhile.

Methods: COPD patients diagnosed through spirometry were first stabilized with 6 weeks of uniform pharmacotherapy. Subsequently, they were subjected to a curriculum-based intensive single-session intervention with education, bronchial hygiene, and exercise training. The latter involved whole body exercise, pursed lip breathing, and diaphragmatic exercise. The participants continued to practice the exercises under real-world encouragement and supervision from trained volunteers. The impact was appraised in terms of change in health status through COPD assessment test (CAT) score measurements at stabilization, and after 6 weeks and 1 year of the intensive training and education.

Results: At stabilization, 70 out of 96 selected COPD subjects (73%) turned up (with mean age 62±9 years and mean FEV1 as 1.16±0.39 L) showing improvement as per CAT score (p=0.0001) from pharmacotherapy. After practicing the imparted education and training for 6 weeks, all these 70 participants had further significant improvement in the health status (n=70, p=0.00001). This improvement, been reinforced and supervised, continued to last even at 1 year (n=54, p=0.0001).

Conclusion: The self-managed practice of a single-session education and training under real-world supervision can bring forth significant long-term improvement in the health status of COPD sufferers. Such simple and feasible intervention may substitute formal COPD rehabilitation programs in resource constraint situations.

Keywords: extensive training; quality of life; respiratory function tests; rural COPD; single point intensive education and training.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Breathing Exercises / methods
  • Exercise Therapy* / education
  • Exercise Therapy* / methods
  • Exercise Tolerance
  • Female
  • Health Status Disparities
  • Humans
  • India / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Education as Topic* / methods
  • Patient Education as Topic* / organization & administration
  • Preventive Health Services / organization & administration
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / epidemiology
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / psychology
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / rehabilitation*
  • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / therapy
  • Quality Improvement
  • Quality of Life*
  • Respiratory System Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Rural Health Services / standards
  • Self Care / methods*
  • Spirometry / methods

Substances

  • Respiratory System Agents