Abstract
Aim:
To identify patient needs following discharge from hospital after an exacerbation of COPD.
Methods:
Qualitative and semi-quantitative study using home-based structured interviews and focus groups involving 25 COPD patients after hospital discharge. Interviews were performed seven days and three months post-discharge. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and were triangulated with the qualitative data from interviews and the focus groups.
Results:
There were high levels of depression (64%) and anxiety (40%). Feelings of anxiety after discharge were associated with the fear of another “attack” and with uncertainties about social and medical care provision, especially the provision of oxygen.
Conclusions:
Interventions to reduce readmission for COPD exacerbations need to consider the psychosocial as well as the medical needs of patients. There appears to be a need for improved hospital discharge procedures and community follow-up — including the provision of pulmonary rehabilitation and encouragement of self-management strategies.
Keywords: COPD exacerbations, primary care, patients' needs
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (290.1 KB).
Footnotes
Kevin Gruffydd-Jones has provided consultancy and speaker services for the following pharmaceutical companies: Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Altana, Novartis, IVAX, Galen, MSD, and Schering Plough. Christopher Dyer has provided speaker services for GlaxoSmithKline. Kathryn Badlan, Carol Langley-Johnson and Sabbi Ward have no potential conflicts of interest.