RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of health education on lung function and quality of life in stabilized patients with chronic pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: 117 stabilized COPD patients were randomly devided into 4 groups with numbers as 31,26, 20 and 40 identified as Groups 1 to 4. Patients in Group 1 did not receive health education, but Groups 2,3 and 4 received one, two, three or more times health education in file. FEV1, FEV1%, FEV1/FVC and SGRQ score were compared pre and 6-month post the health education program. RESULTS: Health education seemed successful in delaying the decline of FEV1, FEV%, FEV1/FVC and groups 2-4 were superior to group 1(P < 0.05) while groups 3 and 4 were superior to groups 1 or 2(P < 0.05). Health education was effective in raising the SGRQ score among the stabilized COPD patients with groups 2-4 superior to group 1 (P < 0.05) while groups 3 and 4 superior to groups 1 or 2 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Health education could effectively delay the decline of both lung function and quality of life in stabilized patients with COPD.
