Glittre-ADL test without backpack: A qualitative study of perceptions of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

BackgroundThe Glittre Activities of Daily Living (Glittre-ADL) test without backpack was recently validated to assess the functional capacity of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ObjectiveTo understand the perceptions of people with COPD about the Glittre-ADL test with and without backpack and the possible similarities with their activities of daily living (ADLs). MethodsParticipants performed 2 Glittre-ADL tests with a backpack (visit 1). On visit 2, participants randomly performed the Glittre-ADL test with and without backpack and completed a semi-structured interview with questions about the tests. Interviews were analyzed according to thematic analysis. ResultsTwelve participants aged between 57 and 76 years with mild to severe COPD were included. Interviews were grouped into four thematic categories: (1) Glittre-ADL test with a backpack: does the backpack make the test worse, or does it not matter?; (2) test tasks and ADL: what is in common between them?; (3) “I enjoyed taking the test”: the possibility of learning and new expectations; and (4) symptoms during the Glittre-ADL tests. ConclusionThe following perceptions while performing the Glittre-ADL test with and without the backpack were observed: dyspnea and fatigue sensation, difficulty using the backpack while performing tasks such as squatting, and similarities to ADLs tasks despite different perspectives regarding the degree of ease and expectations on how to perform test tasks at home.