'Teach me how to look after myself': What people with bronchiectasis want from education in a pulmonary rehabilitation setting

Annemarie L Lee; Rebecca Smith; Lucy Burr; Anne B Chang; Chien-Li Holmes-Liew; Paul King; Peter Middleton; Lucy Morgan; Daniel Smith; Rachel Thomson; Grant Waterer; Conroy Wong; Rachael McAleer

doi:10.1111/crj.13563

'Teach me how to look after myself': What people with bronchiectasis want from education in a pulmonary rehabilitation setting

Clin Respir J. 2023 Jan;17(1):59-69. doi: 10.1111/crj.13563. Epub 2022 Nov 20.

Authors

Annemarie L Lee^{1

2

3

4}, Rebecca Smith^{1

5}, Lucy Burr^{6

7

8}, Anne B Chang^{6

9}, Chien-Li Holmes-Liew⁶, Paul King⁶, Peter Middleton⁶, Lucy Morgan^{6

10

11}, Daniel Smith⁶, Rachel Thomson^{6

8

12}, Grant Waterer⁶, Conroy Wong^{6

13}, Rachael McAleer¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Physiotherapy, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia.
² Monash Lung and Sleep, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
³ Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
⁴ Department of Allied Health Research, Cabrini Health, Malvern, Victoria, Australia.
⁵ Physiotheraphy Department, Launceston General Hospital, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.
⁶ Australian Bronchiectasis Registry, Lung Foundation Australia, Milton, Queensland, Australia.
⁷ Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Mater Hospital Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁸ University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
⁹ NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Paediatric Bronchiectasis (AusBREATHE), Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, and Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
¹⁰ Department of Respiratory Medicine, Concord Repatriation General Hospital, Concord, New South Wales, Australia.
¹¹ Sydney School of Medicine, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.
¹² Gallipoli Medical Research Institute, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Greenslopes, Queensland, Australia.
¹³ Middlemore Hospital, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹⁴ La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.

Abstract

Introduction: Pulmonary rehabilitation is recommended for people with bronchiectasis. Various education topics are included in these programmes, but the content is largely guided by the needs of people with other respiratory conditions.

Objectives: With the education topics applicable to people with bronchiectasis unclear, we aimed to explore the perspective of adults with this condition on relevant educational topics in a pulmonary rehabilitation context.

Methods: Participants from the Australian Bronchiectasis Registry were invited to undertake a semi-structured interview. Interview transcripts were coded independently, with themes established by consensus (two researchers).

Results: Twenty-one people participated. The major themes were greater clarity on the underlying cause of bronchiectasis and prognosis. Most sought knowledge about self-management strategies and treatments to address extra-pulmonary symptoms. Participants requested more information on physiotherapy options and the role of exercise and physical activity outside of pulmonary rehabilitation. Preferences were mixed for the education delivery model.

Conclusions: We have identified unmet educational topics of interest for people with bronchiectasis. Our study provides a framework for education topics desired by adults with bronchiectasis within a pulmonary rehabilitation setting. The topics identified will guide development of an education curriculum for pulmonary rehabilitation that is more fit-for-purpose for people with bronchiectasis.

Keywords: bronchiectasis; education; pulmonary rehabilitation; self-management.

MeSH terms

Adult
Australia / epidemiology
Bronchiectasis*
Exercise
Humans
Physical Therapy Modalities
Quality of Life
Respiratory Tract Diseases*