Abstract
Introduction The burden of chronic breathlessness on individuals, family, society, and health systems is significant and set to increase exponentially with an ageing population with complex multimorbidity, yet there is a lack of services. This has been further amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Online breathlessness interventions have been proposed to fill this gap, but need development and evaluation based on patient preferences and choices.
Aim This study aimed to explore preferences and choices of patients regarding the content of an online self-guided chronic breathlessness supportive intervention (SELF-BREATHE).
Methods Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with adults living with advanced malignant and non–malignant disease and chronic breathlessness (July–November 2020). Interviews were analysed using conventional and summative content analysis.
Results 25 patients with advanced disease and chronic breathlessness [(COPD: 13, lung cancer: 8, ILD: 3, bronchiectasis: 1), 17 male, median age 70 years (range 47–86), MRC Dyspnoea score 3 (2 −5)] were interviewed. Individuals highlighted strong preferences for focused education, methods to increase self-motivation and engagement, interventions targeting breathing and physical function, software capability to personalise the content of SELF-BREATHE to make it more meaningful to the user, and aesthetically designed content using various communication methods including written, video and audio content. Furthermore, they identified the need to address motivation as a key potential determinant of the success of SELF-BREATHE.
Conclusion Our findings provide an essential foundation for future digital intervention development (SELF-BREATHE) and scaled research.
Footnotes
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Conflict of interest: Charles C. Reilly reports receiving support for the present manuscript from NIHR Clinical Lectureship (ICA-CL-2018-04-ST2-001) supports CCR, which funds all aspects of this research. Link: NIHR Funding and Awards Search Website. Grants or contracts from King's Together: Multi and Interdisciplinary research scheme and Royal Brompton Hospital – King's Health Partnership Transformation funding, outside the submitted work.
Conflict of interest: Katherine Bristowe reports receiving grants or contracts from National Institute for Health Research, Medical Research Council, Health Education England, European Commission and Marie Curie, outside the submitted work.
Conflict of interest: Anna Roach has nothing to disclose.
Conflict of interest: Trudie Chalder reports receiving support for the present manuscript via salary support from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Mental Health Biomedical Research Centre at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and King's College London (KCL). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the NHS.
Conflict of interest: Matthew Maddocks reports receiving grants or contracts from National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Career Development Fellowship (CDF-2017–10-009), and NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London (NIHR ARC South London) at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, outside the submitted work.
Conflict of interest: Irene J. Higginson reports receiving grants or contracts from NIHR, UKRI, Cicely Saunders International, and Marie Curie, outside the submitted work.
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- Received February 21, 2022.
- Accepted April 26, 2022.
- Copyright ©The authors 2022
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