ABSTRACT
Context: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic airway condition. Community health service centers can have significant value for improving the prognosis of older adults with chronic diseases. Objective: The study intended to analyze the influence of community health management on the pulmonary function (PF) and self-management ability of patients with stable COPD, aiming to provide a reliable reference for future clinical applications. Design: The research team performed a prospective controlled case study. Setting: The study took place at a community health service center in Xining, China. Participants: Participants were 116 stable COPD patients who received treatment at the center. Intervention: The research team divided participants into two groups: (1) the intervention group who took part in community health management and (2) the control group who received usual care. Outcome Measures: At baseline and postintervention, the research team: (1) measured participants' pulmonary function (PF)-forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV1)-and calculated the FEV1/FVC ratio; (2) assessed participants' symptoms using the modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale and COPD Assessment Test (CAT); (3) tested participants' mobility using the six-minute walking test (6MWT) and the Barthel index (BI); (4) evaluated participants' quality of life using the Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74 (GQOL-74); (5) counted the rates of drug abuse, smoking control, and smoking cessation for both groups; and (6) created a COPD knowledge questionnaire survey on COPD awareness and used it to test participants' awareness. Results: The research group had significantly higher FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC levels and 6MWT, BI, and GQOL-74 scores (all P < .001) and significantly lower mMRC and CAT scores than those of the control group (both P < .001). No significant difference existed between the groups in the drug-abuse rate (P = .511), but the intervention group's percentage of participants who had controlled or quit smoking was significantly higher than that of the control group (P = .033). The intervention group's COPD awareness score was also significantly higher than that of the control group (P < .001). Conclusions: Community health management can improve the rehabilitation and self-management of PF for stable COPD patients and can improve the quality of care, enhance patients' health level and quality of life, reduce medical investment, and lower the burden on patients and society.
