Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program with Meditation on Perceived Self-Efficacy, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Behavior, Exercise Tolerance, and Dyspnea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Objective: This quasi-experimental research using a single-group repeated measure design was conducted to assess the effect of a pulmonary rehabilitation program with meditation on perceived self-efficacy, pulmonary rehabilitation behavior, exercise tolerance, and dyspnea in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Material And Method: Thirty-three COPD patients followed-up at the Outpatient Department at Wangpong District Hospital, Petchaboon Province were included into this study. All participants received the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program (PRP) adjunct with meditation for eight weeks. The data were collected by using a Perceived Self-efficacy for Pulmonary Rehabilitation Questionnaire, a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Behaviors Questionnaire, an Exercise Tolerance Test, and a Perceived Dyspnea Questionnaire and other cardio-pulmonary parameters (PR, BP, RR, and oxygen saturation) at the baseline, at the fourth week, and at the eighth week of visits. The data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, a repeated measure ANOVA, and Bonferroni’s correction.

Results: At the eighth week, the participants had a significant higher average of perceived self-efficacy, pulmonary rehabilitation behaviors and exercise tolerance (p-value <0.001), and lower average perceived of dyspnea than at the baseline and at the fourth week (p-value <0.05). The PR, BP, RR, and oxygen saturation were significantly improved between pre and post pulmonary rehabilitation with adjuncts meditation in baseline, 4 and 8 weeks of visits (p-value <0.001). The most effective improvement was most related to respiratory domain (RR and oxygen saturation). These effects established early in 4 weeks and strongly improved after 8 weeks and showed statistically significant when compared of 8 weeks of visit with baseline (pre-measurement of RR; p-value <0.001, 0.0326, and <0.001, and post-measurement after adjuncts meditation program; p-value = 0.206, 0.0139, and <0.001, respectively). For cardiovascular domain, PR, and SBP were seemed to improve and compensate well when comparing 8-week visit to baseline (p-value = 0.005 and 0.0032, respectively). PR was decreased after continuing adjuncts meditation compared to baseline state (p-value = 0.0004).

Conclusion: The mediation adjuncts with routine pulmonary rehabilitation program demonstrated improving of average of perceived self-efficacy meditation, behaviors, exercise tolerance, and cardio-pulmonary parameters (RR and oxygen saturation). It was promising and should be recommended and applied to COPD patients to restore the pulmonary function, reducing perceived of dyspnea symptom, increasing exercise endurance, activity daily life, and quality of life of patients.