Education Delivered During Acute Exacerbations Could Improve COPD Outcomes

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who received disease-specific education around the time of hospitalization for an acute exacerbation showed gains in their understanding of COPD, according to a pilot study published online in Chest.

“A brief education program delivered at the time of hospitalization for an acute exacerbation of COPD was feasible for a subset of patients, resulted in improved disease-specific knowledge, and may be a bridge to more active approaches,” researchers reported.

The study included 31 patients admitted to a community hospital for an acute exacerbation of COPD: 16 patients were randomly assigned to standard care, and 15 were randomized to an education intervention group. Education consisted of a pair of 30-minute sessions in the hospital or home within 2 weeks of hospital admission. 

The mean change on the Bristol COPD Knowledge Questionnaire before and after the intervention period was 8 for patients who received disease-specific education compared with 3.4 for patients who received standard care. Researchers found no difference between patient groups on the Lung Information Needs Questionnaire.

According to study coverage in Pulmonology Advisor, 14 of the 15 patients who underwent education recommended all patients with an acute exacerbation of COPD receive the intervention. One patient suggested decreasing the time of the educational sessions, and another recommended increasing the number of questions.

Intervention participants gained the most knowledge in the appropriate use of oral steroid medication, the publication reported.

—Jolynn Tumolo

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