LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACT: Can patients with COPD assimilate disease specific information at a time of being acutely unwell due to an exacerbation of their disease?

Abstract

Introduction: It is unknown whether patients with COPD are able to assimilate information at a time when they are hospitalized and acutely unwell due to an acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Objectives: To determine 1) the feasibility of an education program delivered during an AECOPD and 2) the effectiveness of this education program on objective measures of disease specific knowledge. Methods: Patients admitted to a community hospital with an AECOPD were randomly assigned to a control group (standard care) or intervention group (standard care + disease education). The intervention group received two one-on-one sessions within two weeks of hospital admission. Feasibility measures included number of eligible patients, compliance and follow-up rates. Disease specific knowledge and information needs were measured using the Bristol COPD Knowledge Questionnaire (BCKQ) and the Lung Information Needs Questionnaire (LINQ) respectively. Results: Thirty-one patients (72±10 yrs) with moderate to severe COPD participated in the study. Of 99 approached patients, 60 (60.6%) were eligible. All intervention patients completed the education sessions. Three patients (control group) did not complete the follow-up measures. The mean change and standard deviation (SD) for the BCKQ in the intervention and control groups were 8 ± 5.14 and 3.4 ± 4.9 respectively (p=0.02). No difference between groups was found for the LINQ (mean change ± SD was -1.6 ± 2.3 (control group) and -2.4 ± 2.7 (intervention group) (p=0.8). Conclusions: Improved knowledge during the acute phase of the disease might be the first step to improving self-management and future disease outcomes.