COPD Resources, Education, and Activity Designed for You Study

Summary

Although COPD self-management treatment programs are effective in reducing COPD-related hospitalizations and increasing quality of life, there is a limited understanding of 'how and why' they work. The proposed research will use an engineering-inspired study design to identify effective COPD self-management treatment components and guide its 'real world' implementation. The long-term goal of this line of research is to build an optimized COPD self-management program, and scale the program up to reduce the burden of COPD at a population health level.

Conditions

• COPD

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Education (self-guided)

The self-guided eduction program consists of a mailed booklet entitled, "Learning to live with COPD," along with two additional mailings with information on the ALA's Patient and Caregiver Network and the Respiratory Health Association's COPD Caregiver's Toolkit.

BEHAVIORAL

Education (counselor-led)

The counselor-led education program combines mailings with phone counseling delivered by ALA Lung Helpline counselors. Three phone sessions (20-30 minutes each) are completed over the course of 6 weeks in the main treatment phase, with two additional optional booster sessions offered between 6 and 12-weeks post-randomization. The counselor-led program follows a structured outline of curriculum for each session, focusing on the topic areas of developing a COPD exacerbation action plan, recognizing COPD exacerbations, and coping with breathlessness.

BEHAVIORAL

Physical Activity

The physical activity program will consist of a personalized prescription for home-based exercise following published guidelines, consisting of aerobic, strengthening, and flexibility exercises, tailored to participants' current fitness level and dyspnea symptoms. Aerobic exercise will incorporate ground-based walking training, a well-established, safe, and feasible physical activity program for individuals with COPD. Participants will complete three videoconference sessions (30-45 minutes each) over the course of 6 weeks in the main treatment phase, with two additional optional booster sessions between week 6 and 12.

BEHAVIORAL

Inhaler Training

Participants will receive inhaler technique education using a virtual teach-to-goal method. In each session, individuals are observed using their inhaler, provided feedback, and then observed again. Inhaler technique is scored using a checklist specific to each inhaler device. Participants will complete two inhaler training sessions via videoconference at week 1 and week 4, with an optional booster session offered at week 8.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Chicago

  collaborator OTHER

• American Lung Association

  collaborator OTHER

• Rush University Medical Center

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Amanda R. Mathew, PhD · Rush University Medical Center

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

40 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-08-18

Primary Completion

2029-09-01

Completion

2029-09-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations