HELPing older people with very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HELP-COPD): mixed-method feasibility pilot randomised controlled trial of a novel intervention.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Extending palliative care to those with advanced non-malignant disease is advocated, but the implications in specific conditions are poorly understood.

Aims

We piloted a novel nurse-led intervention, HELPing older people with very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HELP-COPD), undertaken 4 weeks after discharge from hospital, which sought to identify and address the holistic care needs of people with severe COPD.

Methods

This 6-month mixed-method feasibility pilot trial randomised (ratio 3:1) patients to HELP-COPD or usual care. We assessed the feasibility of using validated questionnaires as outcome measures and analysed the needs/actions recorded in the HELP-COPD records. Semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of patients, carers an

SUBMITTER: Buckingham S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4532154 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature