PR Program Research Articles

The effects of maintenance schedules following pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomised controlled trial

ObjectivesPulmonary rehabilitation (PR) provides benefit for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in terms of quality of life (QoL) and exercise capacity; however, the effects diminish over time. Our...

Efectos de un programa de rehabilitación pulmonar en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar Intersticial difusa

BackgroundDiffuse interstitial lung disease (DILD) is a group of 150 entities that have alterations of the lung parenchyma in which idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is the most common type. ObjectiveTo determine the effects of a pulmonary rehabilitation program in patients with DILD. MethodsA quasi-experimental study in 18 patients with continuous involvement in treadmill exercise, muscle strengthening of upper limbs, breathing techniques and chest mobility, and educational activities for 8 weeks. BMI, Medical Research Council dyspnea, 6minutes walk test (6MWT), anxiety, depression and quality of life related health variables were assessed at the beginning and at the end. “Paired T” was used to analyze the means. ResultsEighteen patients completed the PR program. Mean age was 60.6 years, SD±13.9. FVC had a mean of 61.7% of predicted SD±19.5. There was a significant increase in the distance covered in the 6MWT at the end of the program, with a mean difference of 61.5m, SD±68.6 (P=.001). Anxiety had decreased with a mean difference of 1.8, SD±2.1 (P=.002). Health-related quality of life had decrease in the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire total score with a mean difference of 14.2, SD±19.9 (P=.008). The CRQ-SAS questionnaire showed an increase in the total score with a mean difference of 0.7, SD±0.8 (P=.003). ConclusionPulmonary rehabilitation is a safe treatment with good adherence. It is recommended for patients with DILD. Walking distance in the 6MWT showed that it should always be evaluated in a pulmonary rehabilitation program.

P123 The Benefits Of Pulmonary Rehabilitation (pr) In Interstitial Lung Disease (ild): Observations From Oxfordshire's Mixed Respiratory Disease, Community Based Pr Programme

Introduction The benefits of increased exercise capacity and health related quality of life after PR are well documented in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Interest is growing in whether other respiratory diseases benefit from PR interventions. Limited research is available to demonstrate benefit to patients with ILD (Holland et al., 2008). No published studies examine the relative performance of ILD patients in a PR programme compared with a mixed disease cohort. Objective To establish whether ILD patients benefit from participation in an established PR programme. Methods Pre- and post-PR data for patients with ILD who took part in a 6-week PR programme compliant with BTS guidelines (Bolton et al., 2013), were examined alongside similar data for all patients who had participated in the PR programmes over an 18 month period. Results Data was available for 21 patients with ILD, and 344 patients with other respiratory diseases. Median MRC grade of both groups of patients was 4. Mean baseline lung function of ILD patients was FEV1 2.06 (84.6% predicted), FVC 2.59 (82.81% predicted), FEV1 /FVC 78.37, TLCO 46% predicted. Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) and St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) data for ILD patients, and the whole cohort is shown in the attached table. Discussion Examination of data available demonstrates that patients with ILD achieve the minimum important difference of the ISWT (>47.5 m) and were close to achieving the minimum important difference of the SGRQ (>4). ILD patients have a greater benefit in terms of reduction in symptoms as measured by SGRQ, than the cohort as a whole. Limitations to generalisation of conclusions due to small sample size are acknowledged. Conclusion ILD patients who completed a 6-week community based, PR programme within a mixed respiratory disease cohort demonstrate a clinically significant improvement in exercise capacity and make gains in health related quality of life. References Bolton C, Bevan-Smith E, Blakey J, et al. British Thoracic Society guideline on pulmonary rehabilitation in adults. Thorax. 2013;68:ii1–ii130 Holland A, Hill C, Conron M, Munro P, McDonald C. Short term improvement in exercise capacity and symptoms following exercise training in interstitial lung disease. Thorax, 2008;63:549–554

An evaluation of factors associated with completion and benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD

BackgroundPulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is an important treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but it is not established whether any baseline parameter can predict response or compliance.AimTo identify...

P42 Does pulmonary rehabilitation improve exercise capacity and HRQoL in patients with asthma?

IntroductionPulmonary rehabilitation (PR) benefits patients with COPD, however to date there is limited evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in patients with chronic asthma.We hypothesised that patients with asthma would have a...

S110 Pulmonary Rehabilitation Outcomes in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) vs Matched Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)

IntroductionPulmonary rehabilitation is an effective intervention for patients with COPD. There is now also good evidence of benefit for patients with ILD We have compared the outcome of the same...

P107 Long-term adherence to exercise after pulmonary rehabilitation: Understanding the motivations and barriers to exercise?

IntroductionAdherence to exercise after PR is known to be low and the role of motivation/barriers in this population remains unclear. This study aimed to further investigate the role of motivation...

S120 Reference values for the incremental shuttle walking test in a healthy population

<h3>Introduction</h3> The assessment of functional exercise capacity is important in the evaluation of patients with chronic conditions and field walking tests are often used to assess functional exercise capacity. The ISWT is one field exercise test which is often employed in the assessment of pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation (PR, CR) patients and also to prescribe a walking speed. In PR and CR programmes the ISWT is employed to calculate walking speed set at a desired training threshold. The aim of the study was to establish reference values for the ISWT and an equation for its prediction in a healthy population. This will allow comparison between patients from PR and CR programmes and healthy age-matched controls. <h3>Methods</h3> Subjects were aged between 40 and 90 years, had normal spirometry defined as FEV₁ % pred &gt;80% and/or a FEV₁/FVC &gt;70% and had no known co-morbidities affecting mobility. The best distance from two ISWT was recorded along with body mass index (BMI) and leg length. Quadriceps maximal voluntary contraction (QMVC: Kg) was measured using a strain gauge (Kern). Physical activity was assessed using the DUKE physical activity questionnaire and an activity monitor (SenseWear PRO² Armband). The number of steps and energy expenditure achieved over 2 days was recorded. Subjects also completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. <h3>Results</h3> 114 patients completed the study [mean (SD) age 60.48 (10.99) years, FEV₁ 108.82% (15.13) predicted, 37 male]. Mean ISWT distance was 690 m (152.68). There were no significant differences in walking distance between males and females (p&gt;0.05). ISWT distance showed significant correlations with age, BMI, FEV₁, QMVC, DUKE physical activity score and height (p&lt;0.01). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that age, BMI, FEV₁, QMVC and DUKE physical activity score were independent contributors to the ISWT distance achieved by healthy subjects, explaining 50.4% of the variance. (Abstract S120 figure 1). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Variance in the ISWT can be measured using a composite score, comprising of: age, BMI, FEV₁, QMVC and DUKE physical activity score. These findings would allow clinicians to express results of the ISWT as a percentage of the predicted values making results more meaningful for patients with chronic conditions.

Exercise maintenance: COPD patients' perception and perspectives on elements of success in sustaining long-term exercise

Our goal was to elucidate how patients with COPD who successfully maintain a long-term exercise programme understand concordance with maintenance exercise and see potential solutions. The information, collected from 11 individuals through six in-depth interviews and one focus-group interview, was analysed by means of qualitative content analysis. Four themes were identified: 1) perception and acknowledgement of the disease; 2) the personal manner and empowering skills of the therapist; 3) perception of the exercise programme; and 4) left to myself–a pitfall in maintenance. Motivation to continue long-term exercise was related to how the patient is empowered to come to terms with the situation, the relational skills and expert competence of the physiotherapist, the patient's perceived mastery of the intensity of the exercise programme, and the physiotherapist's ability to individualise the exercise, peer support, and the availability and continuity of the programme. More attention should be paid to the link between PR programs and follow-up programmes. Crucial factors in this context are guidance of a municipal physiotherapist or instructor with extensive knowledge of exercise for patients with COPD, social interaction with peers in the exercise setting, enthusiasm, support, and ongoing communication between patients and practitioners across an entire continuum of care.

History and development of public relations education in North America

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of the history and development of public relations education in the USA and Canada.Design/methodology/approachThe research methodology used for this paper is the historical/critical analysis approach.FindingsThis paper finds more differences than similarities between public relations educational development in the two countries. The first PR course at a US university was taught at the University of Illinois in 1920 and the first US degree program was offered by Boston University in 1947. The first Canadian university PR course was taught at McGill University n 1948 and the first university degree was offered by Mount Saint Vincent University in 1977. Although PR courses and degrees are offered at a small number of élite US universities, the greatest recent PR curriculum development has been at smaller, second‐ or third‐tier institutions. While a few Canadian universities offer courses and degree programs in the field, most of Canada's recent PR program growth has been at colleges rather than at universities.Practical implicationsRightly or wrongly, academic institutions often look to North America for direction when it comes to establishing and developing public relations education programs. A number of factual inaccuracies about public relations education history have frequently surfaced in books and journal articles. This paper corrects a number of those inaccuracies and in doing so improves public relations scholarship.Originality/valueA thorough review of the literature suggests that this paper represents the only journal‐length piece about the history and development of public relations education in Canada and the USA.

Attempting to Re-brand the Branded: Russia’s International Image in the 21st Century

The way in which international relations are being conducted in the 21st century is evolving from the earlier reliance on government to government communications and the use of hard power in order to achieve policy objectives. Currently there is a rush by countries around the world to build up their soft power potential and use attraction as a persuasion and means to attain their goals, Russia being one of these countries. This article focuses on a number of different PR programmes and events run as a means of trying to shift the national reputation and image to a more positive one. The actors and events described are viewed mostly through the lens of public diplomacy, government to people communication. I track a number of the different PR programmes that have been run through mass media and PR agencies. The aim is to gain an insight into the wider picture of Russia’s attempts to rebrand itself, and the successes and obstacles along the way.

Developing a structured education programme for clients with COPD

This article describes the development of a Structured Education Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme (SEPRP), for the PRINCE (Pulmonary Rehabilitation In Nurse-led Community Environments) study. This process involved a literature review of existing PR programmes, a content analysis of national and international PR programmes and a concept analysis of empowerment. Secondly, two small descriptive qualitative studies were undertaken to further inform programme content exploring the views of health professionals and clients on programme content, as well as their perceptions of living with COPD. The findings of these two stages led to the development of the eight-week PRINCE SEPRP, based on a philosophy of empowerment and the SEPRP was underpinned by the Transtheoretical model (TTM) of behaviour change. Programme content included managing medications and managing breathlessness, knowing and managing symptoms, recognizing and managing acute exacerbations as well as an individualized exercise programme. Participants' experiences of self management following participation in the SEPRP were also examined. The findings indicate that nurses working in primary care have an important role in informing the development of SEPRP as well as having a key role in their delivery. They have the potential to work in empowering ways with COPD clients and the PRINCE SEPRP is just one example of how this can be put into practice.

P49 Seasonal effect upon attendance at a pulmonary rehabilitation programme

IntroductionPulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes have been shown to reduce symptoms and improve exercise tolerance in COPD. Improving rates of attendance at PR sessions is vital to ensuring a cost-effective service....

Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehabilitation

The multidisciplinary PR program is for patients with chronic respiratory impairment who are symptomatic and often have decreased daily life activities. Exercise is combined with other training and support mechanisms to encourage long-term adherence to the treatment plan.

MEASURING THE EFFECTIVENESS PUBLIC RELATIONS PROGRAMS

The demand for measuring the effectiveness of PR is determined by the ever-increasing accountability requirements, necessity for timely identification of the problems and selection of appropriate methods and measures for their solution. Theoretical study allows stating that the measurement of program effectiveness informs about the past and future directions of PR, facilitates the management of the PR process and enhances the strategic role of PR in the company, however only provided that the PR effectiveness measurement is carried out in an integrated manner and from the very beginning of PR. Based on the main elements PR effectiveness measurement complex - analysis of objectives, quality assessment of communication material and assessment of output, outtake and outcomes of PR efficiency, - measurement criteria of PR program effectiveness are being analyzed in the article.

Public relations in the United Arab Emirates: The emergence of a profession

This paper discusses the development of public relations in a fast growing emerging country, United Arab Emirates. The making of the public relations profession in UAE has been affected tremendously by the socio-economic, educational and cultural development of the country. Ministries and government administrations established their in-house public relations departments and sections to respond to the growing demands of their various publics. Journalism and Mass Communication departments launched PR programs to meet the growing needs of the job market with qualified practitioners. International public relations agencies chose Dubai as a base for their activities in the UAE and the region. The future of public relations in the UAE is very promising. Although it is facing some problems, public relations is the job of the future.

Ethics and PR

“Public relations” should be the uncomplicated concept of getting to know the people you deal with, serving them professionally and developing understanding and trust with each other. Our profession has lost a lot of its reputation over the last few years. This is partly because of the glossy and sometimes blatantly false hype that is seen up‐front in today’s “public relations”. Couple that with mechanical, impersonal “PR programmes”, in which only the name of the company on the word processor changes – and you have a jargonised, smooth‐talking recipe for redundancy. If the profession is to regain its credibility, company directors and practitioners must accept some basic facts about “communication” – and about our informed and sophisticated “publics”.

“Air Power Is Peace Power” The Aircraft Industry's Campaign for Public and Political Support, 1943–1949

An analysis of the aircraft industry's public relations campaign suggests that individuals' thoughts and feelings about airplanes and atomic weapons, domestic politics, and international events had greater influence on public opinion and political action than the PR program. However, the industry's public relations program did bring together many groups interested in air power. By linking these groups and capitalizing on the domestic and international situation, the public relations firm Hill and Knowlton of New York helped to create a climate in which air power was an acceptable solution to national defense and budgetary problems.

PR Program Boosts Public Image

This article discusses public perceptions of water and wastewater departments and the need for public relations efforts to increase public support for these important services. Examples of successful public relations programs are presented.

Survey Finds that Few Women are Teaching in PR Programs

Survey Finds that Few Women are Teaching in PR Programs