Impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on the social support of people with COPD

Abstract

Social support improves general health (e.g., reduces hospitalisations and exacerbations) and well-being of people with COPD, but it has shown to be low in this population. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has potential to improve social support of people with COPD, however, this needs to be investigated. This study explored the impacts of PR on the social support of people with COPD.

An observational study was conducted. Participants received community-based PR for 3 months, twice a week. Sociodemographic and lung function data were used to characterise the sample. Quantity and quality of social support were assessed with the 6-item short form Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ). For each item, participants listed all people or institutions who support them on a certain situation (range: 0-9 people; quantity) and indicated how satisfied they were with the support provided (range: 1 very dissatisfied to 6 very satisfied; quality). Total score for quantity and quality was computed using the mean scores from the 6 items.

Frequencies, median and interquartile range (IQR) were used to describe the sample. Wilcoxon test was used to explore pre-post differences.

Twenty-nine people with COPD (71 [65-77] years; 86.2% ♂; 54 [39.4-62.5] FEV1%pp) participated. No significant impacts were found for quantity (pre 1.5 [1-3.2] vs post 1.7 [1-2.2], p=0.135) nor quality (pre 6 [5.7-6] vs post 6 [5.4-6], p=0.299) of social support after PR. A ceiling effect seem to exist on quality.

PR seems to yield minimal impact on the social support of people with COPD assessed with the SSQ. Future work on how to improve social support of people with COPD is needed (e.g., identify determinants and social responses).