Does education in energy conservation improve function in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Prepared by:

Stella Chong
Acute/post acute care (APAC) occupational therapist,
Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney

Date:

January 2003

Review Date:

January 2005

Clinical Question:

My initial question was ‘Does short-term (2-3 weeks) education in energy conservation improve function in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)?’. There was no evidence for this specific question, so the search was broadened to ‘Is education in energy conservation effective in improving function in people with COPD?’

Clinical Scenario:

COPD is a major contributor to the burden of disease in Australia and globally. In 1990, COPD was ranked 12th in the Global Burden of Disease, but by 2020, it is estimated to be ranked 5th in prevalence worldwide (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Occupational therapists will be seeing clients with this condition as a primary diagnosis or as a co-morbidity, in acute care, post-acute care and community settings, in increasing numbers. This is especially relevant with regards to chronic and complex care initiatives from the NSW government. This paper will look at the evidence for a well-identified component of occupational therapy treatment for this client group (Rashbaum & Whyte, 1996)

Clinical Bottom Line:

Any education in energy conservation needs to be tailored to the patient’s needs and environment – this will ideally involve functional reinforcement together with written information, as education alone has limited evidence of effectiveness.

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