Self-Care in Patients with Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Article Example

Hudson is affiliated with the School of Applied Social Sciences from De Montfort University, Leicester while Singh is also associated with the Applied Research Centre Health & Lifestyle Interventions of Coventry University, Coventry. The study addressed several problems facing patients with less severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). They specifically investigated the patients’ experience and understanding of COPD symptoms, current self-care activities, and the importance of family perceptions in managing COPD.

The main subject of the study consists of patients with COPD, how they manage the condition, the challenges they encounter, and the importance of having the support of family members (Apps et al., 2014). The aim of this study is to understand the experiences of individuals with less severe COPD and the challenges they face while undergoing self-care. The study population comprised participants who had a positive diagnosis of COPD and had not been rehabilitated for pulmonary complications in the past year.

They were also required not to have any neurological, cognitive, or locomotor problems. The study design was cross-sectional, and the authors analyzed the data using thematic analysis, which permits the identification of patterns of the data and better descriptions (Apps et al., 2014). The results of the study identified difficulty in breathing as the major symptom that the patients underwent. Also, the patients in the early stages of the condition had problems getting support from their family members since the symptoms are not visible from the outside.

Most patients did not know when to start engaging in self-care procedures, and what to expect as the conditions increased in intensity (Apps et al., 2014). The results are clear since they give in detail what the patients’ experiences were, and the challenges they face while undergoing self-care. The results have also addressed the questions since they give us a picture of what a patient with COPD goes through and the challenges they face when undertaking self-care. The results also seem valid since they report the actual experiences of these patients, without relying on secondary sources of information.

The analysis is also valid, based on the study design. The conclusions are consistent with the study design and analysis since they report the results of the interview and the outcomes as per the analysis. Most studies show the same symptoms of COPD and report that self-care and family support are important facets of the management process. However, they are usually concentrated on the severe cases of COPD (Apps et al., 2014)The results mean that healthcare providers need to sensitize the public to this condition and the importance of individual care or by a family member.

It also means that as a healthcare provider, I need to inform the patients of the need to take self-care seriously for it to bear fruit. The patients are required to cooperate with the health care providers so as to be informed of their case and how best to handle it.