[Effect of health education on the lung function and life quality in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of health education on the symptoms, lung function and life quality in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD).


METHODS
Eighty-two patients were assigned into 2 groups randomly: The treatment group (n = 43) accepted health education for 6 months and the control group (n = 39) did not. Before and after the 6 months, we observed the number of smokers, Borg score, inhale treatment, times of acute episode, SGRQ score, lung function, and the therapeutic effect in the two groups.


RESULTS
Six months later, the ratio of smokers in the treatment group was 13.95%, much lower than that in the control group (35.90%, P = 0.021); the Borg score of the treatment group decreased from 4.86 +/- 1.21 to 3.38 +/- 0.94 (P =0.000), but there was no difference in the control group; the ratios of accepted inhale treatment in the treatment group and the control group were 100% (43/43) and 20.51 % (8/39) respectively (P = 0.000), and the accuracy rates were 100% (43/43 ) in the treatment group and 12. 82% (5/39) in the control group (P =0. 000); the times of acute episode in the treatment group was 1.51 +/- 1.53, much lower than that in the control group (4.46 +/- 5.17, P = 0. 000); the indexes of lung function before and after the 6 months between the two groups had no significant difference. The total score, the symptom section score, the activity section score, and the impact section score of SGRQ after the 6 months of health education were much lower than those of 6 months before, and those in the control group had no significant difference.


CONCLUSIONS
Six months of the health education can decrease the ratio of smokers and the times of acute episode, and to improve the life quality of patients with stable COPD.
Cai
Shan
S
Department of Respiratory, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Chen
Ping
P
Chen
Yan
Y
Liu
Zhi-jun
ZJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires