title: Five-year follow-up of a one-year self-management program for patients with COPD.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Investigate long-term effects 4 years after the end of a 1-year self-management program (SMP) with 30 hours of education and 16 hours of physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective observational outcome study. SMP focused on improving disease related self-care skills. Main outcome measures were health-related quality of life, HRQoL, (St Georges Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ total) and exercise capacity (6-minute walk test, 6MWT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty patients participated, 47% women. Baseline mean age was 67 years and mean pre-bronchodilator FEV(1) (forced expiratory volume in 1 second) percentage predicted was 41.3. HRQoL showed a statistical significant improvement during the 1-year intervention. Four years after the end of the program SGRQ total was similar to baseline value, 1.4 points (95% CI: -3.6 to 6.3, P = 0.580). Also 6MWT was similar to baseline value at the same test point, -10 m (95% CI: -27 to 8, P = 0.262), and 63% reported having continued to exercise regularly a minimum of three times per week during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The participants in a 1-year self-management program with additional training had maintained their pre-intervention level of HRQoL and exercise capacity 4 years after the end of the program. Two out of three participants had continued to exercise regularly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway. borghild.k.lomundal@ntnu.no
authors.forename: Borghild K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Lomundal
authors.forename: Aslak
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Steinsbekk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015444:Exercise; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011788:Quality of Life; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012648:Self Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome