Zeitschrift für Krankenpflege und Pflege

The Effects of Self-Management in COPD Patients at Community Healthcare Centers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Chunhua Ma

Objectives: To test the effects of self-management for COPD patients in improvement of exercise capacity,health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and self-efficacy.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was used in the study. Patients with COPD meeting inclusioncriterion were recruited from three community healthcare centers. 224 eligible COPD patients were randomlyto either self-management (SM) group or usual care (UC) group. Patients in SM group received SMtraining and practice, those in UC group received the usual care. Outcomes assessment included exercisecapacity, HRQoL, self-efficacy. Data collection was conducted at baseline, 3 and 6-month post-intervention.

1.3 Results: COPD patients revealed the statistical improvements in walking distance, HRQoL, self-efficacy in SMgroup in comparison with individuals in UC group over 6 months intervention. The significant group × time interactionswere found in walking distance and HRQoL in SM group, showing sustaining enhancements in two variables over6-month SM.

Conclusion: The self-management for COPD patients is effective and feasible in improvement of exercisecapacity and HRQoL at community healthcare centers in China. The sustaining effects of self-management for COPDpatients need to be confirmed using follow-up design in future study.