Scandinavian journal of caring sciences
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of COPD self-care management education at a nurse-led primary health care clinic.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is disabling, with symptoms such as chronic cough, phlegm, wheezing, shortness of breath and increased infections of the respiratory passage. The aim was to examine the effects of a structured educational intervention programme at a nurse-led primary health care clinic (PHCC) on quality of life (QoL), knowledge about COPD and smoking cessation in patients with COPD. This study had an experimental design in which 52 patients with COPD from a Swedish primary care setting were randomized into two groups (intervention or control). ⋯ This implies that patients were in a dependent relationship which may have affected the responses in a favourable direction. Our findings show that conventional care alone did not have an effect on patients' QoL and smoking habits. Instead, the evidence suggests that a structured programme with self-care education is needed to motivate patients for life-style changes.