Abstract
People with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are frequently hospitalized, reporting high physical, psychological and spiritual suffering. Existing research focused on discrete aspects of hospitalization, such as care or treatment, yet lacks a complete picture of the phenomenon. The aim of this study is to understand the lived experience of hospitalization in people with advanced COPD. A qualitative, descriptive phenomenological approach was employed to study the phenomenon of hospitalization for people with advanced COPD. Unstructured interviews were conducted during hospitalization at a tertiary care hospital in India, in 2017, audio-recorded, and then transcribed. Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological analysis method guided the analysis. Fifteen people with advanced COPD participated. Emergency admissions were common because of acute breathlessness, leading to repeated hospitalizations. Hospitalization gave a sense of safety but, despite this, people preferred to avoid hospitalization. Care influenced trust in hospitalization and both shaped the experience of hospitalization. Multi-dimensional suffering was central to the experience and was described across physical, psychological and spiritual domains. Hospitalization was identified largely as a negative experience due to the perception of continued suffering. Integrating palliative care into the routine care of people with advanced COPD may enable improvements in care.
Highlights
Hospitalization is common for those with advanced chronic obstructive airways disease (COPD) 1.Admission is often related to exacerbations of breathlessness, frequently recurrent, as 27% of exacerbations are followed by a second event within 8 weeks[2]
Studies on the experience of hospitalization in people with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has mainly focused on elements of care and treatment 17
A phenomenological approach presents the phenomenon as it appears in its context, which can facilitate studying the experiences while preserving the individual culture and context[19]
Summary
Qualitative, descriptive phenomenology following Giorgi’s method was employed, as it provides indepth exploration of the phenomenon 20. Immediate medical attention was perceived to help restore normal breathing and relieved the fear of imminent death Both timely treatment and the expertise of the staff were considered to be components of efficient treatment, which enabled independence to be regained in a short time and a return to usual life:. An unpleasant attitude from a member of staff, such as not paying attention, ignoring emotional concerns and failing to explain treatment plans caused emotional upset to the participants. “ I know for sure that this [illness] will not leave my body...isn’t it?” (P13) Fatigue with dependency both indicated incurability and contributed to high symptom burden which caused a negative impact on the experience of hospitalization. Being alone in the hospital bed during breathlessness caused fear, which was relieved by someone’s presence or immediate medical attention. The depth of multi-dimensional suffering indicated persistent suffering despite frequent hospitalization
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
