Effects of a Health Educational Intervention on Knowledge and Self-Management Skills in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract
Objective: The study evaluated the effectiveness of a health education intervention program on disease knowledge and self-management skills in patients with COPD.
Material and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 90 COPD outpatients. The intervention included two in-person education sessions at the outpatient clinic and three months of weekly group phone calls at home. Disease knowledge was measured using the COPD-Q, and self-management skills were assessed with standardized checklists. Paired t-tests and McNemar’s tests were used to evaluate within- and between-group differences.
Results: At baseline, there were no significant differences between the groups in demographics, knowledge, or self-management skills. After three months, the intervention group showed a significant increase in knowledge scores (from 9.31±2.44 to 12.51±0.69, p-value<0.001; EI=180.9), while the control group showed only a modest increase (from 10.02±2.31 to 10.44±2.10, p-value=0.03). Correct inhaler use improved from 48.9% to 91.1% in the intervention group compared with 37.8% to 48.9% in the control group (p-value<0.001; EI=86.3). Adherence to breathing exercises increased from 60.0% to 91.1% in the intervention group versus 66.7% to 68.9% in the control group (p-value<0.01; EI=52.0).
Conclusion: Educational intervention programs carried out by nurses improved patients’ knowledge and skills in using inhalers and performing breathing exercises. Therefore, nurses need to expand the program so that more patients can access this service in the future.
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