COPD: A Case Study

Introduction

Chronic Obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a severe public health problem that affects health related quality of life (HRQoL). In COPD patients, limitation of the airway function is generally persistent and patients usually suffer from considerable physical and psychological symptoms, and impairments of functional ability and HRQoL (Vestbo et al., 2013). Common symptoms of COPD include chronic cough, sputum production and exertional dyspnea (Ng & Smith, 2017). These symptoms affect HRQoL, but can they can be managed. The ultimate goals of COPD management are to maintain or improve patients’ functional quality and ability, facilitate patients to better live with the chronic condition with less acute respiratory exacerbations

All databases were searched from September 2017 to October 2017. Main topics and key terms were identified and used throughout search to limit the results. The key phrase “Self- management education programs” was used to initiate the search among the different databases. However, the use of key terms: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease” and “Quality of Life” were then incorporated within the search criteria to further limit the search results. In addition, articles were selected by an inclusion and exclusion criteria. The inclusion criteria of this review were as follows: (1) original articles, (2) patients with confirmed diagnosis of COPD, (3) self- management education as a major intervention and (4) HRQoL outcomes. Articles were excluded if they were (1) systematic review articles, (2) greater than 6 years old and (3) published in a language other than English. Upon application of the mentioned inclusion and exclusion search criteria 7 articles were examined, and 3 were chosen for interpretation and analysis. Articles were then critiqued and analyzed with the use of evidence-based table formats (Appendix A). The use of guidelines, such as key terms, inclusion and exclusion criteria, aided in the identification of strengths and weakness of individual