View Abstract

A2511 - Healthcare and Research Priorities of Adults with Mild-to-Very Severe COPD
Author Block: E. Michalovic1, D. Jensen1, E. G. Bishop1, R. J. Dandurand2, N. Saad2, N. Ezer3, G. Moullec4, B. M. Smith3, J. Bourbeau5, C. Theriault1, A. Schram1, F. Nico1, S. N. Sweet1; 1Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, 2McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada, 3McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada, 4Hopital Du Sacre Coeur De Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada, 5Montreal Chest Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Rationale: The perspectives of adults living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on their healthcare needs and research priorities has gained growing importance. The objective of this study was to determine the healthcare and research priorities of individuals living with COPD. Methods: Individuals living with COPD (N=177) recruited from outpatient clinics in the Montreal and surrounding area responded to a questionnaire about their priorities regarding 24 healthcare and 22 research topics. Individuals were asked to assign a percentage of time and funding to the most important healthcare and research topics, respectively. Results: Individuals were divided into four quartiles based on their percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1-sec (FEV1): mild (FEV1, 128.2±56.5%pred; n=42); moderate (FEV1, 61.7±10.0%pred; n=41); severe (FEV1, 42.2±9.5%pred; n=41); and very severe (FEV1, 23.7±9.0%pred; n=53). Relief of breathlessness was the top healthcare priority for the very severe (68% of participants selected the topic; average of 9% of time with healthcare providers) and mild groups (60%; 8%); while, the second priority for the moderate (54%; 10%) and severe groups (54%; 10%). Improve ability to perform activities in/out of the home (61%; 8%) was the top priority of the moderate group and second for the very severe group (58%; 5%). Preventing lung flare-ups (exacerbations) was third most important for the very severe (55%; 5%) and mild groups (50%; 7%). Improve physical well-being was the second and third priority for the mild (55%; 9%) and moderate group (54%; 8%), respectively. Regarding research topics, relief of breathlessness was the top priority for the very severe (81%; average of 12% of research funding), severe (71%; 17%), and moderate (76%; 13%) groups and second for the mild group (55%; 8%). Preventing the development of COPD was the top priority for the mild group (60%; 12%), second for the severe group (68%; 12%), and third for both very severe (57%; 7%) and moderate groups (56%; 11%). Very severe and moderate groups identified preventing lung flare-ups (64%; 7%) and increasing the ability of adults living with COPD to exercise (59%; 10%) as their second priority, respectively. Conclusion: Regardless of disease severity, individuals with COPD identified relief of breathlessness as their top healthcare and research priority. To align with patient priorities, healthcare providers should spend sufficient time discussing options to alleviate breathlessness with their patients, while concerted research efforts with increased research financial support to identify more effective strategies to alleviate breathlessness are needed.