1,721,007 research outputs found
Community pulmonary rehabilitation: a multidisciplinary approach
No full textPulmonary rehabilitation is a well-evidenced programme of therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and includes the provision of breathlessness interventions, nutritional support and exercise therapy, all of which can be delivered by community nurses. Pulmonary rehabilitation is also considered a low cost intervention and can be delivered by healthcare professionals of varying disciplines. This article explores the clinical elements of pulmonary rehabilitation, as well as investigating the 'added value' provided by multidisciplinary teams in the community.</p
Updating community respiratory care in a post COVID-19 landscape
No full textSpirometry testing was stopped in general practice clinics during the pandemic because of the risk of spreading COVID-19. Safety considerations are now needed for recommencing services
Examining a social network approach to self-management support in people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
No full textSelf-management support [SMS] is fundamental in the management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease [COPD]. However, personal engagement and effectiveness of SMS is currently suboptimal. SMS for COPD based on action planning alone, is limited, and confounded by multiple complex, frightening symptoms that are challenging to negotiate alone. Suggesting the need for a more elaborate approach to SMS in COPD. In other long-term conditions, SMS has been influenced positively by promoting access to connections and resources through social networks. Therefore, a social network approach, promoting peer relationships has the potential to offer enhanced support, improve SMS personal capability and increase social capital in people with COPD.Explored here is the implementation and evaluation of a social network approach to SMS in a community-based COPD population. Three interlinked studies with mixed methods were employed. A qualitative meta-synthesis; to capture the personal enactment of SMS in COPD. An empirical pilot study evaluated the implementation of Generating Engagement in Network Involvement (GENIE), social network tool. A further nested feasibility study, guided theory concepts to explore the acceptability of GENIE in community NHS services.The qualitative meta-synthesis of COPD SMS practices suggests that this is a complicated social phenomenon; comprised of personally valued practices, activities and experiences. People with COPD negotiate complex health situations across multiple social platforms. The GENIE intervention was acceptable to clinicians and people with COPD. Findings suggest that the intervention may have a protective effect against decline in diet quality and activity in people with COPD. People using the GENIE tool-maintained health status and clinical symptoms, increased quality of life, decreased anxiety and reduced costs in NHS service utilisation.Enactment of SMS in COPD is influenced by personal experience and a fear of dependence. SMS in COPD requires readdressing to embrace social network approaches as part of the COPD care pathway.<br/
Experiences of digital exclusion and the impact on health in people living with severe mental illness
Full text linkBACKGROUND: The covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of digital tools within health and social care services. However, for a range of different reasons, across the UK there continue to be people who are digitally excluded. People living with a disability have been identified as being more likely to be digitally excluded and many of these people, including people with severe mental illness (SMI) already experience health inequalities. Therefore, understanding the perceived impact digital exclusion has on health and potential facilitators of increased inclusion is an important area for research. This study had two aims: 1. To understand experiences of digital exclusion and the impact on health in people with SMI. 2. To explore the influences and mechanisms which would increase engagement with digital health tools. METHODS: This was an observational qualitative study, conducting focus groups (with the option of a 1:1 interview for those uncomfortable in groups) with nine people with severe mental illness. RESULTS: Participant’s responses were themed in to four key areas in relation to digital exclusion and impact on health: 1. Reduced social connectedness, 2. The impact on wider determinants of health 3. Negative perception of self, 4. Disempowerment. Key facilitators for increased engagement with digital tools included, local digital skills support with mental health lived experience involvement in the delivery, digitally engaged social referents, access to digital tools and data, personalised and straightforward digital tools. In addition, increasing health and social care staff’s awareness of digital exclusion was also viewed as important in promoting inclusion. CONCLUSION: The research findings suggest that digital inclusion should be viewed as a wider determinant of health. Many of the identified consequences of exclusion are particularly important in relation to mental health and mental health recovery. This research suggests that identifying and addressing digital exclusion should be viewed as a priority for mental health services
MMLung: moving closer to practical lung health estimation using smartphones
Full text linkLong-term respiratory illnesses like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Asthma are commonly diagnosed with the gold standard spirometry, which is a lung health test that requires specialized equipment and trained healthcare experts, making it expensive and difficult to scale. Moreover, blowing into a spirometer can be quite hard for people suffering from pulmonary illnesses. To solve the aforementioned limitations, we introduce MMLung, an approach that leverages information obtained from multiple audio signals by combining multiple tasks and different modalities performed on the microphone of a smartphone to estimate lung function. Our proposed approach achieves the best mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 1.3% on a cohort of 40 participants. Compared to the reported performances (5%-10% MAPE) on lung health estimation using smartphones, MMLung shows that practical lung health estimation is viable by combining multiple tasks utilizing multiple modalities
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