Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Quality of Life among the Chronic Obstructive Disease Patients Admitted at Pravara Rural Hospital, Loni (Bk)

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an evidenced based intervention to improve the quality of (QOL) of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The objective of the study to determine the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on quality of life of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and to identify the association of quality of life with selected demographic variables of COPD patients.

An evaluative approach with Quasi experimental design with control group approach was used for the study. 30 patients of moderate COPD patients were enrolled for the study. Patients were randomized into two groups one received pulmonary rehabilitation programme plus standard medical therapy(SMT)(n=15) and control group received standardised medical treatment.

In the pre-test(before breathing exercises), Pulmonary function was assessed the overall mean FEV₁ is almost (0.11±0.42) in study group and control group (0.03±0.22) Patients in study group showed significant improvement (p=0.000)in SGRQ activity score. Improvement (12.04±6, 99) in SGRQ-impact score was observed in study group and improvement (0.24±0.88)in SGRQ-impact score was also present in control group. No significant association found between control and study group in respect of demographic characteristics (p>0.05) By applying Chi-Square test there is a significant association between demographic characteristics namely; History of exposure to smoke, Duration of exposure to pollutants, Duration of Illness and Control and Study group (p<0.05) and remaining characteristics are not significant (p>0.05).

Pulmonary rehabilitation programme improved exercise capacity, symptoms and health related quality of life without any significant change in pulmonary functions.