Effectiveness of a Physical ACtivity Coaching Intervention Using E-Health for COPD Patients in Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a physical activity coaching intervention - delivered through an eHealth platform both during and after pulmonary rehabilitation - to enhance physical activity levels and health-related outcomes in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). All participants will attend the pulmonary rehabilitation program for 2 months; the experimental group will receive a physical activity coaching intervention at the end of the 1st month of the rehabilitation program, which will continue for 6 months following the completion of the program. Assessments will be conducted at the beginning, midway, and at the end of the coaching program, as well as 3 months and 6 months after its conclusion.

Conditions

• COPD
• Physical Activity

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

eHealth physical activity coaching intervention

Patients will attend a PR program and in week 5 of PR will receive an eHealth PA coaching intervention until 6 months after end of PR. The PA goals will be prescribed through a phone call and the personalisation of goal prescription will be based on an algorithm considering patient's performance in the previous week, perceived easiness of achieving the previous goal and confidence to change it. If patient does not achieve the goal, reasons, barriers to PA and strategies to overcome them will be identified. Patients will receive a daily notification about their goal achievements, at 6PM every day, giving them the possibility to increase their PA to achieve the goal, if they have not reached it yet. Patients will also receive personalized notifications sent manually by the researcher whenever appropriate. PA goals will be prescribed on a weekly basis.

BEHAVIORAL

pulmonary rehabilitation

Patients will attend pulmonary rehabilitation program for 10 weeks. Pulmonary rehabilitation is evidence-based multidisciplinary intervention based on thorough patient assessment followed by patient-tailored therapies that include, but are not limited to exercise training, education, self-management intervention aiming at behaviour change, known to improve health status and psychological well-being, reducing dyspnoea and healthcare utilization and hospitalization. In this study, pulmonary rehabilitation programs will have 20 sessions, twice a week, including exercise training (aerobic and strength training), educational sessions about topics as medication, smoking cessation, energy conservation techniques, physical activity, stress and anxiety management, breathing control, inhaled therapy and nutrition; nutritional and psychosocial counselling. Education session about PA importance and recommendations will be also provided in both arms.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Unidade Local de Saúde do Baixo Mondego

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Unidade Local de Saúde de Lisboa Norte

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Faculdade de Motricidade Humana de Lisboa

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Instituto Politécnico de Leiria

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Sofia Flora, PT, MSc · Center for Innovative Care and Health Technology, Polytechnic of Leiria

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-12-02

Primary Completion

2025-06-30

Completion

2025-06-30

Countries

• Portugal

Study Locations