NCT05106257

Optimizing Self-management COPD Treatment Through the American Lung Association Helpline

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 46 (actual)
• Sponsor: Rush University Medical Center · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Although self-management treatment improves quality of life among individuals with COPD, there is limited understanding of which elements of treatment are most effective. The proposed research will test the feasibility of using an engineering-inspired study design to identify effective COPD self-management treatment components. The long-term goal of this line of research is to optimize the effectiveness of COPD self-management treatment, and improve quality of life for individuals with COPD.

Detailed description

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an increasingly prevalent and costly chronic health condition, and is the third major cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Self-management treatment programs for COPD are shown to improve health-related quality of life and prevent COPD-related hospitalizations. Despite their clinical benefits, these programs are typically multi-component and time- and resource-intensive. To date, no study has been conducted to isolate the role of individual self-management treatment components in contributing to improved COPD outcomes. The proposed research will establish the feasibility of using the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) framework to optimize COPD self-management treatment delivered by the American Lung Association (ALA) Helpline. Treatment components to be evaluated include duration of self-management education, ground-based walking training, inhaler training, and caregiver support. The primary outcome is health-related quality of life, with secondary outcomes of COPD symptom burden, self-management behaviors, and hospitalization. Specific aims are: Aim 1: Design a factorial experiment and develop operational procedures. The investigators will design a factorial experiment with the same number of experimental conditions and length of follow-up as the planned optimization trial. In collaboration with the ALA COPD Helpline, the investigators will develop operational procedures (i.e., recruitment, screening, randomization, and database management) for successful implementation. Aim 2: Establish feasibility and acceptability by pilot testing the study design. The investigators will deliver treatment to three participants per experimental condition (N=48) with good fidelity, and will remotely assess baseline, mediator, and outcome variables. The investigators will conduct qualitative interviews at end-of-treatment with 15-20 participants. Resulting values will provide estimates of recruitment and retention rates, treatment fidelity, acceptability of treatment components, and outcome measure variability to inform a subsequent, fully-powered optimization trial. The primary outcome is health-related quality of life, with secondary outcomes of COPD symptom burden, self-management behaviors, and hospitalization.

Conditions

• Copd

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Self-management education (short)	The self-management education condition is based on the Living Well with COPD program. The program consists of a mailed booklet and structured phone counseling delivered by certified COPD educators. Topics include disease information, breathing retraining, action planning, medication use, energy conservation, and following good health habits. The short condition consists of two calls (30-45 minutes each) to introduce patient education topics and refer to the booklet for further information.
BEHAVIORAL	Ground-based walking training	Participants randomized to this condition will be mailed a pedometer (3DFitBud Simple Step Counter) and instructed on its use to establish baseline steps/ day for 7 days. They will then receive a booklet with instructions to establish a walking program and three brief (10-15 minute), bi-weekly calls from a trained staff member to review step count values and engage in setting personal activity goals over the course of 6 weeks, following established exercise guidelines for individuals with COPD.
BEHAVIORAL	Inhaler training	Participants randomized to this condition will receive two sessions of inhaler technique education using a virtual teach-to-goal (TTG) method in which individuals are observed using their inhaler, provided feedback, and then observed again.
BEHAVIORAL	Caregiver support	Participants randomized to this condition will identify an informal caregiver who is involved in their healthcare (i.e., spouse, family member, or friend), who will receive a mailed copy of the Respiratory Health Association's COPD Caregiver's Toolkit, a comprehensive informational resource to support the care of the person living with COPD. Caregivers will receive two brief (10-15 minute) check-in calls from a trained staff member. The structured content of these sessions will include providing an overview of toolkit content, identifying goals for sections(s) to review and incorporate into caregiving activities, and addressing any questions.
BEHAVIORAL	Self-management education (long)	The self-management education condition is based on the Living Well with COPD program. The program consists of a mailed booklet and structured phone counseling delivered by certified COPD educators. Topics include disease information, breathing retraining, action planning, medication use, energy conservation, and following good health habits. The long condition consists of five, weekly calls (30-45 minutes each) following a structured curriculum of patient education topics.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-11-05
• Primary completion: 2023-06-30
• Completion: 2023-06-30
• First posted: 2021-11-03
• Last updated: 2025-02-20
• Results posted: 2025-02-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States