COPD-Patients adherence to care and quality of counseling

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients’ adherence to care and to identify quality of counseling in tertiary care. The objective was to improve the quality of care of COPD patients and receive baseline information factors which improve their adherence to care. Background: It has been reported that the treatment of patients with COPD may not be optimal. It is also known that COPD-patients have various limitations in daily life due their disease, and may experience emotional distress, which can reduce adherence to care.

Methods: The data were collected during COPD-patients’ (n = 141) visits or admissions to a tertiary hospital between November 2007-June 2009. This study was cross-sectional survey and the data analysed by descriptive statistics, averaged variables and multivariate regression analysis.

Results: The response rate was 62%. Most of patients were men and they have been COPD patients for several years. Nearly all patients were adherent to their care and medication, but support from health care providers was inadequate. Counseling had been benefit about half of COPD-patients and it increased self-care activities and coping at home. Counseling was not implemented in a patient-centred way and mutual goal setting was insufficient. Multidisciplinary counseling and quality care transition were both significantly factors with adherence to care and the support of the health care providers.

Conclusions: The patient with COPD adhere well to care, but support health care providers were in adequate. Multidisciplinary team and high quality counseling is crucial, although in practice delivery is not always appropriate for the patient.