The role of pain in pulmonary rehabilitation: a qualitative study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Recruitment flow diagram.

Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; HCP, health care provider.

Table 1 Demographics of HCPs

HCP ID, site	Age (y)	Sex	Profession	Experience delivering PR (y)
1 UK	48	F	Physiotherapy assistant	1.5
2 UK	29	F	Physiotherapy assistant	6
3 UK	34	F	Specialist physiotherapist	6
4 UK	47	F	Physiotherapy assistant	1
5 UK	38	F	Physiotherapist	1.5
6 UK	29	F	Physiotherapist	1
7 UK	31	F	Physiotherapist	1.5
1 Canada	26	F	Physiotherapist	3.5
2 Canada	48	F	Physiotherapist	15
3 Canada	26	M	Physiotherapist	1
4 Canada	35	F	Nurse	6
5 Canada	41	F	Nurse	3
6 Canada	65	M	Respiratory physician	30
7 Canada	73	F	Respiratory physician	35
8 Canada	32	F	Physiotherapy assistant	0.5
9 Canada	41	F	Occupational therapist	10
10 Canada	50	F	Occupational therapist	15
11 Canada	33	M	Physiotherapist	4

Abbreviations: M, male; F, female; HCP, health care provider; y, years.

Table 2 Demographics of individuals with COPD

Patient ID, site	Age (years)	Sex	BMI (kg/m^2)	Social status	FEV1 (L)	FEV1/FVC (%)	Disease duration (years)	Comorbidities (n)	Systems affected	Smoking status	Pack-years	Hospitalizations in previous 12 months (n)	Oxygen therapy	Walking aid
1 UK	77	M	26.8	Alone	1.71	56	6	5	Cardiac, MSK	Ex	60	0	No	No
2 UK	59	M	29.7	Spouse/family	1.41	54	6	4	MSK, mental, ENT	Current	92	1	No	No
3 UK	72	M	18.2	Alone	1.65	50	6	7	Cardiac, MSK, reproductive, skin	Ex	44	1	No	Yes
4 UK	66	F	22	Alone	0.9	45	16	9	Respiratory, circulatory, MSK, muscular, mental	Ex	43	2	No	Yes
5 UK	69	F	15.5	Spouse	1.12	63	2	1	MSK	Current	108	0	No	No
6 UK	63	M	29	Spouse/family	2.7	60	10	10	Cardiac, respiratory, MSK, mental	Ex	86	2	No	Yes
7 UK	68	F	32	Alone	0.75	41	13	6	Respiratory, MSK, mental, circulatory	Ex	43	0	No	Yes
8 UK	66	F	12.8	Spouse	0.62	65	3	9	Respiratory, MSK, digestive, muscular, mental	Ex	70	0	Yes	No
9 UK	64	F	29.9	Spouse	0.71	61	11	2	Respiratory, mental	Current	47	1	No	No
1 Canada	67	F	47.7	Friend	0.81	40	6	4	Circulatory, endocrine, urinary	Ex	55	0	Yes	Yes
2 Canada	82	F	34.2	Family	0.7	52	6	8	Cardiac, MSK, urinary, mental, circulatory	Current	100	4	Yes	Yes
3 Canada	58	F	49.4	Family	0.53	44	13	5	Circulatory, respiratory, MSK, mental	Ex	57	3	Yes	Yes
4 Canada	68	M	28.9	Spouse	1.48	33	11	3	MSK, digestive	Ex	50	0	No	No
5 Canada	67	M	44.3	Alone	1.95	59	9	0	Not applicable	Ex	30	0	No	No
6 Canada	52	M	26.5	Alone	0.92	46	5	5	Respiratory, skeletal, MSK	Ex	6	0	Yes	No
7 Canada	73	F	28.7	Family	0.64	49	6	6	Respiratory, circulatory, mental	Ex	80	1	Yes	Yes
8 Canada	56	F	30.5	Alone	0.56	31	15	5	Cardiac, circulatory, digestive, mental, MSK	Ex	43	0	Yes	Yes
9 Canada	66	F	27.3	Spouse	0.37	21	11	7	Respiratory, circulatory, skeletal, digestive, mental, MSK	Ex	35	2	Yes	Yes
10 Canada	69	F	21.1	Alone	0.81	39	7	5	Respiratory, MSK, mental, ENT	Ex	55	0	No	Yes

Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; BMI, body mass index; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity; MSK, musculoskeletal; ENT, ear, nose, and throat; M, male; F, female.

Table 3 Pain-related information of individuals with COPD

Patient ID, site	Pain duration (years)	Pain frequency	Pain medications and dose	BPI pain severity (mean)	BPI pain interference (mean)
1 UK	>10	At least once a day	Paracetamol 2×500 mg daily	2.25	1.29
2 UK	5–10	Constant	Co-codamol 2×500 mg twice daily	2.50	1.57
3 UK	>10	Constant	Paracetamol 2×500 mg twice daily	4.75	5.71
4 UK	>10	Constant	Paracetamol 500 mg prn, co-codamol 500 mg prn	3.75	5
5 UK	>10	At least once a day	Co-codamol 3×500 mg daily	3.00	1.29
6 UK	5–10	At least once a day	Co-drydamol 500 mg prn	3.00	4.86
7 UK	>10	Constant	Co-codamol 500 mg prn	3.50	1.14
8 UK	5–10	At least once a day	Paracetamol 500 mg prn, co-codamol 500 mg prn	4.50	3.29
9 UK	>10	At least once a day	Codeine phosphate 2×30 mg daily, paracetamol 500 mg prn	4.75	5.86
1 Canada	1–3	Constant	Tylenol extra strength daily 1 daily	4.75	2.14
2 Canada	1	Constant	Diclofenac, Voltaren emulgel prn	2.75	0.86
3 Canada	>10	Constant	Hydromorphone slow, hydromorphone, ibuprofen prn	3.00	5.00
4 Canada	>10	Constant	Naproxen 500 mg prn	2.75	0.71
5 Canada	<1	At least once a day	Tylenol prn	1.50	1.00
6 Canada	>10	Constant	Tylenol 1×100 mg daily, gabapentin 1×100 mg daily	3.75	6.57
7 Canada	5	Constant	Tylenol 650 mg prn	1.00	4.57
8 Canada	>10	At least once a day	Oxycodone 2×40 mg twice daily	6.00	4.41
9 Canada	>10	Constant	Tylenol 2×40 mg twice daily	6.00	6.14
10 Canada	3–4	At least once a day	Ibuprofen 200 mg prn	4.50	1.14

Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; prn, pro re nata/as required; BPI, Brief Pain Inventory (Short Form).