Rehabilitation and Palliation Alongside in the Care of Severe COPD

Background
Studies have shown that Palliative Care (PC) in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) improves
patients` symptoms and quality of life. However, there seems to be a lack of insight about what PC for COPD
patients currently means and what it comprises of in Denmark. The Danish Register of COPD (drKOL), uses
13 indicators to assess the quality of COPD care. None of them concerns PC.
The main objective is to clarify what the palliative COPD effort consist of in order to identify cross‐sectional
challenges and success in current practice from the perspective of patients, relatives and the multi‐
professional staff.
Methods
This qualitative interview study uses inductive content analysis. A total of 12 interviews are conducted;
individual semi‐structured interviews with six patients living with severe COPD, and three relatives of COPD
patients. Three focus‐group interviews with the multidisciplinary staff from the health and social sector as
well as hospital priest. This abstract refers to the preliminary findings as the analysis of the interviews is
ongoing. The analysis will be accomplished before the RIWC2020.
Findings
Our preliminary findings suggest that the COPD patients receive various support from the multidisciplinary
and cross‐sectorial health care system and social system. E.g. home care, emergency help, medical
treatment, rehabilitative training sessions, exacerbation support and equipment. Although, the findings
suggest, that the system may fail to meet the patients` individual needs and desires. Of specific interest, the
findings highlight, that the patients, relatives as well as professionals believe, that rehabilitation and
palliation is two sides of the same coin. Rehabilitation in terms of training of psychosocial support seems to
represent meaning and hope whereas palliation seems difficult to grasp and to express what means.