Improving uptake and completion of pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD with lay health workers: feasibility of a clinical trial

Figures & data

Table

Volunteer LHWs were expected to

1. Attend LHW training

Three sessions (10.30 am – 3.30 pm) 1 day a week for 3 weeks (lunch and refreshments provided).

2. Undergo DBS

DBS check is a criminal record check.

3. Support patients newly referred for PR

Each LHW to support between four and eight patients over a period of 6 months.

4. Take part in a regular mentoring group

To attend at least four mentoring meetings in the course of the project.

5. Research activities

To record as instructed telephone and face-to-face interactions with patients and to participate in a research interview as part of the study evaluation.

Abbreviations: DBS, disclosure and barring check; LHWs, lay health workers; PR, pulmonary rehabilitation.

Figure 1 Recruitment flowchart.

Abbreviations: LHWs, lay health workers; PR, pulmonary rehabilitation.

Table 1 Characteristics of volunteer LHWs who started training and of all patients invited to become LHWs

Characteristics	Volunteers accepted for training (n=20)	Patients invited (n=110)
Mean age (range)	67.5 (55–79) years	69 (43–89) years
Male (%)	11 (55%)	57 (52%)
Ethnicity
White British	17 (85%)	88 (80%)
White other	0	11 (10%)
Black British	0	2 (1.8%)
Black other	1 (5%)	4 (4%)
Asian	0	1 (0.9%)
Other	2 (10%)	2 (1.8%) (Missing =2)
Mean FEV1 % predicted (range)	49% (28%–85%) Missing =3	56% (18%–102%) Missing =13
Mean time since completing PR (range)	5.5 (0–14) months	4.6 (0–14) months
PR venue
Hospital setting	14 (70%)	65 (59%)
Community setting	6 (30%)	45 (41%)

Abbreviations: LHWs, lay health workers; PR, pulmonary rehabilitation.

Table

How satisfied were you with the contact you had with your lay health worker?
	Please put a tick in one column for each
	Very satisfied	Satisfied	Dissatisfied	Very dissatisfied
Initial phone call and introduction
Face-to-face meeting(s)
Subsequent telephone calls
Ability to listen
Ability to help with any problems going to PR
Ability to answer questions and explain things
Frequency of contact
Quality of communication
Overall support from lay health worker
Overall satisfaction with lay health worker