Abstract
Respiratory diseases impose a significant burden on global morbidity and mortality accounting for 7.7m deaths/yr. Primary care plays an essential role in the prevention, diagnosis and management of respiratory diseases, and relevant evidence-based guidelines are required. However, there is a lack of investment in primary care respiratory research and an up-to-date prioritised research needs statement should help to bridge this gap. An e-Delphi exercise was conducted to identify and prioritise the most important respiratory research questions and topics relevant to primary care clinicians globally. Participants included 112 community-based physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals from 27 high-, middle-, and low-income countries. 608 initial research questions were suggested by participants, then refined to 176 questions through review by academic experts. Questions included topics relevant to the diagnosis, management, monitoring, self-management and prognosis of asthma, COPD and other respiratory conditions. Following 2 rounds of rating, 49 questions reached 80% consensus, which was based on importance and clinical relevance. The top 5 ranked questions concerning the best ways in primary care to manage chronic cough; monitor asthma; prevent exacerbations and progression of asthma; deliver brief advice to quit tobacco use; manage COPD patients with cardiovascular comorbidities.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, OA73.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021