A quasi-experimental study of the effect of a comprehensive blended health educational program on self-management practices among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: The prevalence and illness burden of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are both high. Currently, limited guidance is available to support the establishment of effective health programs to increase self-management practices in patients with COPD. Objectives: To explore the effect of a comprehensive blended health education program on self-management practices in patients with mild-to-moderate COPD in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A quasi-experimental research study was carried out with a convenience sample of 60 discharged or stable patients with COPD following treatment. Participants were divided into an intervention group (n = 30) that received usual hospital care and blended health education program, and a control group (n = 30) that obtained the usual hospital care without involvement in the health education program from May 2021– to August 2021. Data were collected before and three months after the intervention using the COPD Self-Management Scale and patient socio-demographic and clinical information surveys. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the control and intervention groups after three months of the intervention based on total COPD Self-Management Scale scores. There were no statistically significant relationships between the participants’ mean COPD Self-Management Scale scores in both groups with their socio-demographic and clinical characteristics before and after the intervention. Conclusions: A nurse-led, comprehensive blended health education program was found to be an effective method for improving COPD patients' self-management practices. COPD nurses and nurse researchers must collaborate to identify the most common interventions with the best cost/benefit ratios and greater positive effects on early COPD patients’ self-management practices and general well-being.