A Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Self-Management Intervention for Improving Patient-Reported Outcomes in...

Area of Science:

• Pulmonary Medicine
• Health Psychology
• Primary Care Research

Background:

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) self-management programs are vital for patient engagement and autonomy.
• Effective interventions are needed to improve health outcomes and decision-making in COPD management.
• Primary care settings are crucial for delivering accessible COPD self-management support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of COPD self-management interventions on quality of life, functional status, and psychological well-being.
• To assess changes in patient education and health literacy following a self-management program.
• To compare outcomes between an intervention group and a usual care control group in primary care.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted with patients diagnosed with COPD (GOLD A and B).
• The intervention group received self-management educational support, while the control group received usual care.
• Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) including SF-12, CCQ, mMRC, BAI, BDI, HeiQ, and HLQ were used at baseline and 6 months.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed significant improvements in most PROMs (p < 0.05) after 6 months, unlike the control group.
• Key improvements included reduced dyspnea (mMRC -38.6%), anxiety (BAI -35%), and depression (BDI -20.2%).
• Significant gains were also observed in COPD health status (CCQ -34.1%) and active health management (HLQ +23.5%).

Conclusions:

• COPD self-management interventions are effective in improving patient-reported outcomes within primary care.
• These interventions enhance quality of life, functional status, and psychological well-being.
• Policymakers should consider implementing such programs to improve the overall health of COPD patients, with further research on long-term effects recommended.