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Evidence Summary
What is an Evidence Summary?
Key messages from scientific research that's ready to be acted on
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Home or community-based rehabilitation is as effective as hospital rehabilitation for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Neves LF, Reis MH, Goncalves TR Home or community-based pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis Cadernos de Saúde Pública. 2016;32(6).
Review question
- Is home or community-based rehabilitation better than hospital rehabilitation for improvements in breathing and quality of life for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?
Background
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an irreversible condition, which makes breathing very difficult and greatly reduces the quality of life.
- Rehabilitation generally occurs in hospitals and helps improve patient breathing.
- Home or community-based rehabilitation is a promising alternative that allows patients to obtain care from local community centres or at home.
How the review was done
- A detailed search of a number of electronic databases for studies published from January 2014 up to May 2015 was conducted. Studies that focused on home or community-based rehabilitation for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were included in the review.
- A total of 3,172 studies were identified in the initial database search, and 23 were included in the review.
- The systematic review did not mention funding sources.
What the researchers found
- Home and community-based rehabilitation was more effective than no treatment for breathing and quality of life.
- Reviews found that hospital, home and community-based rehabilitation had similar benefits for quality of life.
- Reviews found that hospital, home and community-based rehabilitation had similar benefits for ease of breathing and oxygen use during exercise.
Conclusion
- Home and community-based rehabilitation was more effective than no treatment for breathing and quality of life.
- Reviews found that hospital, home and community-based rehabilitation had similar benefits for quality of life, ease of breathing and oxygen use during exercise.
Glossary
Systematic review
A comprehensive evaluation of the available research evidence on a particular topic.
Related Evidence Summaries
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Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2016)
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Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2013)
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Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2013)
Related Web Resources
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U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends that adults between the ages of 55-80 who have been heavy smokers in the past 15 years be screened for lung cancer every year.
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Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care
If you are between 55 and 74 and are currently or used to be a smoker, you should consider getting tested for lung cancer. You should speak with your health care provider about getting tested using a low-dose CT scan once a year for three years.
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Informed Health Online
Medications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease help with symptoms. Some of the medicines prescribed to help with breathing are bronchodilators, steroids and anti-inflammatories. Details about medication options for COPD in this resource.
DISCLAIMER These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal
(
info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).