Awareness about Pulmonary Rehabilitation during COVID-19 Pandemics

INTRODUCTION: Given the significant likelihood of respiratory, physical, and psychological impairment during Covid-19, a large percentage of patients should be referred to a rehabilitation program. Even among patients with chronic respiratory disorders, awareness of pulmonary rehabilitation is limited. We believe that during the pandemic, people's knowledge of pulmonary rehabilitation grew. The purpose of this study is to determine patient awareness of pulmonary rehabilitation and provide information about pulmonary rehabilitation.
METHODS: Outpatients from the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation clinic who agreed to participate were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups: those previously infected with Covid-19 and those who were not. Multiple choice questions were used to assess knowledge of specific topics about pulmonary rehabilitation. Both groups' pulmonary rehabilitation awareness was assessed and compared. Patients who had a past infection with Covid-19 were also asked additional questions about the course of the disease. The patients who requested to learn more were informed about pulmonary rehabilitation.
RESULTS: Considering the total of patients participating in the study in terms of pulmonary rehabilitation awareness, 66.8% of the patients had an average awareness level. In terms of awareness levels, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Awareness allows patients to develop stronger self-management abilities, which helps to reduce the severity of the disease, avoid hospitalizations, and enhance health-related quality of life. As a result, patients' awareness of the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation should be raised.