Digital Delivery of Living Well With COPD for Patient Education and Self-management - a Mixed-method Study

Digital Delivery of Living Well With COPD for Patient Education and Self-management - a Mixed-method Study

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a common lung disease. People suffering from COPD typically experience shortness of breath, coughing, and mucus production. The condition is usually treated with medication, but it is equally important that patients are well-informed about COPD and receive guidance on how to live with it.

The currently available program, "Living well with COPD (LWWCOPD)," is a patient education and self-management program offered on-site in healthcare institutions (such as the Lung League) over six sessions across six weeks. Studies have shown that participating in this program can improve quality of life and overall health, and COPD patients who have completed it tend to require hospitalization less frequently.

However, not all patients who could benefit from the program are able to attend in person-either due to the fixed schedule or because traveling to the training site is too difficult. Therefore, this study aims to determine whether the digital version of the "Living well with COPD" program is equally effective and perhaps more convenient for some patients. The digital version closely mirrors the existing program and consists of various modules that provide information about COPD and practical strategies for managing the disease in daily life. Only once its effectiveness is scientifically proven can the digital version be implemented in Switzerland for COPD patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 18 years
2. Diagnosis of COPD (any stage and severity)
3. Able to speak/read/understand German or French
4. Access to a cell phone, tablet or personal desktop computer with active internet access
5. Willing and able to understand and provide written informed consent
6. Current or recent enrolment in a pulmonary rehabilitation program is permitted

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Inability to follow the procedures/instructions of the study or to participate in the intervention (e.g. due to language or cognitive barriers, psychological disorders, physical reasons)
2. Patients already having completed the conventional LWWCOPD