The effect of Deep Breathing Exercise on Oxygen Saturation of Patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Coronavirus disease is a highly contagious respiratory disease that is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Approximately 80% of people infected with COVID-19 get a moderate form of the disease, which includes a respiratory tract infection with or without pneumonia. Breathing exercises and chest physiotherapy may help post-COVID-19 patients improve their respiratory function and quality of life. Physical rehabilitation is utilized as an adjuvant treatment during the acute period. However, in discharge conditions or COVID-19 patients with a mild degree of infection, breathing exercises and chest therapy may be the primary treatment options to alleviate symptoms. The goal of this study was to see how deep breathing exercises affected oxygen saturation in COVID-19 patients in Thi Qar Province, Iraq. An experimental comparative study design was done for 30 patients to assess the effect of deep breathing exercises on the oxygen saturation of patients with COVID19 in Imam Hussein Teaching Hospital / Thi Qar. The reliability of the questionnaire was achieved through a pilot study and then presented to experts to prove its validity. The total number of items was 20-items in questionnaire and measure oxygen saturation for five days before and after deep breathing exercises. The data was collected by using simple random methods and analyzed by the application of a descriptive and inferential statistical data analysis approach. The results showed for 30 patients there was significant improvement in oxygen saturation values after chest breathing exercises and deep breathing exercises from 82.3333 ± 2.78337 in first before intervention day to 93.5000 ±1.38340 in day five after chest breathing exercises and deep breathing exercises at P < 0.05. Also there were no significant statistical correlation between patient's age and their oxygen saturation after chest breathing exercises and deep breathing exercises at P ˃ 0.05. The results also showed there were no significant statistical differences between patient's gender, housing environment, and level of education, marital status and occupation with their oxygen saturation after chest breathing exercises and deep breathing exercises at P ˃ 0.05. The results accepted the alternative hypothesis there is significant difference in oxygen saturation values after chest breathing exercises and deep breathing exercises in five days for patients with COVID19. Conclude the study there was no statistically significant association between patient's socio-demographic characteristics with their oxygen saturation after chest breathing exercises and deep breathing exercises.