Authors (including presenting author) :
Cheung SHM(1), Lam DCM(2), Wong PYM(3), Li CMC(3)
Affiliation :
(1)Occupational Therapy Department, Tin Shui Wai Hospital, (2)Occupational Therapy Department, Tuen Mun Hospital, (3)Patients Resources Centre, Tin Shui Wai Hospital.
Introduction :
Dyspnea management for patients with shortness of breath is one of the major concerns in Occupational Therapy (OT) in HA. Traditionally, we will conduct educational groups in an onsite mode. With the advance in technology and the need to cope with increased number of patients, the mode of zoom is tried. Concept of self management approach was incorporated in the talk as to facilitate patient to understand more about their own problem as well as to have some experiential learning of some new coping skills before they apply it in their daily lives.
Objectives :
(1) To review the effectiveness of using zoom mode in conducting dyspnea management with patients having shortness of breath in their daily lives. (2) To compare the data with those traditional COPD patients in NTWC, so as to enhance focus of concern in future development of such educational groups.
Methodology :
A one-hour educational group via zoom with patients having shortness of breath was conducted on 6/5/25 with the collaboration with Patients Resources Centre of TSWH. An anonymous online survey (on a voluntary base) by means of a google form was conducted before starting of the educational group. 3 questions related to the activities having shortness of breath, level of dyspnea in those activities, their coping mechanism and effectiveness were rated. After conduction of the educational talk, another 7 questions were conducted to review on their comments on the talk, the coping skills they have learn, the confidence for them to cope with the shortness of breath, etc. were reviewed once again.
Result & Outcome :
172 participants have attended the educational group that day. However, only 32 patients have completed the survey. Results of the survey: (Based on a scale of 1-7 (with 7 the most & 1 the least) -Initial Data from patients to review the “Effectiveness with their own ways in Dyspnea Mx”: 1 point: 1, 2 points: 5, 3 points: 7, 4 points: 10, 5 points: 4, 6 points: 2, 7 points: 2 -Educational Talk can enhance their understanding about the reason(s) for SOB: 4 points: 1, 5 points: 2, 6 points: 19, 7 points: 10 -Educational Talk can enhance them to identify ways to Mx Dyspnea: 3 points: 1, 4 points: 3, 5 points: 8, 6 points: 14, 7 points: 6 -Satisfaction with the content of the talk: 1 point: 0, 2 points: 0, 3 points: 0, 4 points: 1, 5 points: 1, 6 points: 15, 7 points: 15 -Feedback from Participants / Relatives: •講得好仔細，想不到氣喘有如此多原因 。 清晰有用 。 參加課程 ，可否包括所有新界西網絡的病人。增設呼吸體班在博愛醫院舉辦。 希望早日有八段錦班參加。 十分實用，希望可以有實體課程參加。 如果有實體呼吸/運動課給長者參加就好了。 講解詳盡易明，回去會跟筆記練習呼吸方法。 HA GO找不到八段錦片段，不過更希望有實體班可以參加，希望病人資源中心之後會發課程資料。 希望有實體班教呼吸/八段錦/太極。 昨天獲益良多，感謝安排。 -3 Daily tasks which they felt SOB in the last 2 weeks: Exercise (outdoor): 23, ADL (Basic): 1, IADL: 7, Environmental issues (in the community): 36, Change in postures: 11, Change in pacing: 7, Social activities with others, Others: Emotional: 2; Med symptoms: 4 -SOB levels in these tasks / situations: Based on a scale of 1-7 (with 7 the most & 1 the least); same scale as Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ). Range 2-7/7. Mostly rate 3-5. Only 2 patients rated a task with 6 & 1 patient rate a task of 7 Data of those COPD patients who have received Pulmonary Rehab Program in NTWC (2014-2017). Some common themes were also noted: (1) •Exercise (outdoor), ADL (Basic), IADL, Environmental issues (in the community), Change in postures, Change in pacing, Social activities with others, etc. Though there are various missing data from this group, yet, the results shown were quite similar especially related to the domain of concerns in the COPD patients reviewed in the past. In brief, the feedback is quite promising that we should tried more on this mode of education in the future. Certainly, we could also try different mode e.g. TeleRehab in HAGo though the scale in the number of patients that can involve will be different.
