[Relationship between maximum walking distance and frequency of outings in patients receiving home oxygen therapy]

We studied relationships between maximal walking distance (WDmax) and frequency of both outing enumerated by the aim of each outing as well as by each outing per se in patients receiving home oxygen therapy (n = 109). The results were compared with those from members of a seniors' club (n = 434). A questionnaire was used to obtain WDmax, defined as the distance a subject could walk without rest on level ground. In the questionnaire, WDmax was classified into five groups including 50 m (the distance between two electric posts), 500 m, 1 km, 1.5 km and more than 1.5 km. Since few patients could walk 1.5 km or more, they were included into the "can walk 1 km or more group". Outing frequency was measured using a 4-week diary which showed eight aims of outings including shopping, seeing a doctor, visiting friends or relatives, doing a hobby practicing something, participating in a seniors' club and neighborhood meetings or events, traveling, work and others. The subjects checked the diary each time they went out. True outing frequency was defined as the number of outings. If a subject left home to shop and visited a friend on the way home, the outing frequency enumerated by aims was two, while the true outing frequency was one. The mean and SE (1/4 weeks/one subject) of true outing frequency for patients (21.4 +/- 2.2) was significantly less than that of seniors' club members (45.6 +/- 1.4). Even in patients with a WDmax of 1 km or more, the frequency of travel was significantly lower than in seniors' club members. Although outing frequencies for shopping, seeing friends or relatives, doing a hobby and work were not significantly different between the two groups at a WDmax of 1 km or more, the outing frequency for work of patients was significantly lower at a WDmax of 500 m, and outing frequencies for the remaining three aims became significantly lower at a WDmax of 50 m. We demonstrated that in patients receiving home oxygen therapy, outing frequency was limited. A new modality is necessary to increase the outing frequency and to improve the quality of life for these patients.