RESPiRe (Respiratory Education, Self-Management and Pulmonary rehabilitation), Evaluating the Impact of Group Education for COPD Management. (ID 528)
The Ridings Medical Group, East Riding of Yorkshire
Funding: Funding: This project was funded by NHS England Primary Care and Community Services and Cardiovascular Disease and Respiratory Programme. The funder was involved in the design of project; analysis and interpretation of the data was performed by Health Innovation Southwest. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funder.
Abstract
Background: The RESPiRE program, is a multidisciplinary group-based education and self-management intervention for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Designed to support patients to wait well and prepare for winter. The program evaluated the impact of group education, address barriers to pulmonary rehabilitation, clinical outcomes and healthcare resource utilisation in a primary care network in England.Methods: Twenty-one patients participated in one of two group sessions. Each session had a 60% attendance rate. Sociodemographic data, comorbid conditions, and MRC (Medical Research Council) Dyspnoea Scale scores were collected. Post-session changes in healthcare utilisation, including exacerbations, GP appointments, and hospital admissions, referrals to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) were analysed compared to the same period the previous year.
Results: Attendees had a mean age of 69years, with 57.1% male. A majority (71.4%) scored 3 on the MRC Dyspnoea Scale. Referrals post-session included PR (57%, n=12), mental health services (19%, n=4), and physiotherapy (10%,n=2). There was a 74% reduction in the number of exacerbations (mean difference -1.67, p<0.001), a 59% reduction in all-cause GP appointments mean difference -1.95, p<0.001), and a 74% reduction in respiratory-related hospital admissions mean difference (-0.67, p=0.001) in the period following participation compared to the same time in the previous year.
Patients valued the collaborative effort, comprehensive information and peer support provided during the sessions. Suggestions for improvement included more convenient locations, different timings (evening and weekends), and enhanced amenities.
Conclusion: COPD group-based multidisciplinary education and self-management support is associated with a significant reduction in COPD exacerbations, hospital admissions and GP attendance and high patient satisfaction. Group education for patients with COPD, is a potentially high-impact impact intervention. Further research including a control cohort should be considered to strengthen the evidence through larger scale studies.
Conflicts of interest: none
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