Educational interventions for health professionals managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care

Abstract

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common, preventable and treatable health condition. COPD is associated with substantial burden on morbidity, mortality and healthcare resources. ObjectivesTo review existing evidence for educational interventions delivered to health professionals managing COPD in the primary care setting. Search methodsWe searched the Cochrane Airways Trials Register from inception to May 2021. The Register includes records from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED) and PsycINFO. We also searched online trial registries and reference lists of included studies. Selection criteriaWe included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and cluster-RCTs. Eligible studies tested educational interventions aimed at any health professionals involved in the management of COPD in primary care. Educational interventions were defined as interventions aimed at upskilling, improving or refreshing existing knowledge of health professionals in the diagnosis and management of COPD. Data collection and analysisTwo review authors independently reviewed abstracts and full texts of eligible studies, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. We conducted meta-analyses where possible and used random-e ects models to yield summary estimates of e ect (mean di erences (MDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs)). We performed narrative synthesis when meta-analysis was not possible. We assessed the overall certainty of evidence for each outcome using Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). Primary outcomes were: 1) proportion of COPD diagnoses confirmed with spirometry; 2) proportion of patients with COPD referred to, participating in or completing pulmonary rehabilitation; and 3) proportion of patients with COPD prescribed respiratory medication consistent with guideline recommendations.Educational interventions for health professionals managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care (Review)

Educational interventions for health professionals managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in primary care

“…This Cochrane review contains 22 cluster randomised controlled trials (RCT) and 16 RCTs conducted in primary care involving 4,936 health professionals and 71,085 patient participants (Cross et al , 2022 ). They were conducted in the United States ( n = 6), Canada ( n = 1), Australia ( n = 6), Europe ( n = 17), Asia ( n = 4), South Africa ( n = 3) and Brazil ( n = 1).…”

Oscillometry in Lung Function Assessment: A Comprehensive Review of Current Insights and Challenges

“…Future directions should encompass developing comprehensive educational programs and resources that enhance clinicians' understanding of oscillometry principles, data analysis techniques, and clinical applications. This educational initiative ensures that healthcare providers are proficient in interpreting oscillometry results, reducing the risk of misdiagnosis or mismanagement [ 61 ].…”

Clinical Management of COPD in the Real World: Can Studies Reveal Errors in Management and Pathways to Improve Patient Care?

“…Education on COPD management/guidelines to both general practitioners and nurses/practice assistants has been shown to significantly improve influenza vaccination rates although it had little impact on pneumococcal vaccination. 58 It is essential that professionals are aware of the importance and benefits of vaccinating COPD patients against influenza, pneumococcus, COVID-19, pertussis and herpes zoster. 1 …”