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Table 2 Choice of non-pharmacological treatment strategies, in response to the case vignettes, compared between respiratory medicine (RM) and palliative care (PC) physicians

From: Do guidelines influence breathlessness management in advanced lung diseases? A multinational survey of respiratory medicine and palliative care physicians

 

COPD

fILD

LC

RM (n = 336)

PC (n = 95)

Specialties compared (χ2)

p value

RM (n = 324)

PC (n = 87)

Specialties compared (χ2)

p value

RM (n = 301)

PC (n = 102)

Specialties compared (χ2)

p value

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Often or always

226 (67%)

27 (28%)

p < 0.001

181 (56%)

26 (30%)

p < 0.001

32 (11%)

10 (10%)

p = 0.602

Rarely or sometimes

101 (30%)

43 (45%)

125 (39%)

43 (49%)

121 (40%)

36 (35%)

Never

9 (3%)

25 (26%)

18 (6%)

18 (1%)

148 (49%)

56 (55%)

Physical activity

Often or always

240 (71%)

33 (35%)

p < 0.001

199 (61%)

27 (31%)

p < 0.001

70 (23%)

18 (18%)

p = 0.453

Rarely or sometimes

87 (26%)

47 (50%)

111 (34%)

46 (53%)

157 (52%)

55 (54%)

Never

9 (3%)

15 (16%)

14 (4%)

14 (16%)

74 (25%)

29 (28%)

Electric handheld fan

Often or always

61 (18%)

63 (66%)

p < 0.001

55 (17%)

56 (64%)

p < 0.001

59 (20%)

64 (63%)

p < 0.001

Rarely or sometimes

93 (28%)

20 (21%)

85 (26%)

18 (21%)

71 (24%)

22 (21%)

Never

182 (54%)

12 (13%)

184 (57%)

13 (15%)

170 (57%)

16 (16%)

Breathing techniques

Often or always

195 (58%)

69 (73%)

p = 0.010

137 (42%)

60 (69%)

p < 0.001

85 (28%)

62 (61%)

p < 0.001

Rarely or sometimes

115 (34%)

17 (18%)

134 (41%)

18 (21%)

145 (48%)

27 (27%)

Never

26 (8%)

9 (10%)

53 (16%)

9 (10%)

71 (24%)

13 (13%)

Respiratory muscle training

Often or always

153 (46%)

17 (18%)

p < 0.001

114 (35%)

23 (26%)

p = 0.004

35 (12%)

17 (17%)

p = 0.411

Rarely or sometimes

118 (35%)

42 (44%)

134 (41%)

28 (32%)

126 (42%)

39 (38%)

Never

65 (19%)

36 (38%)

76 (24%)

36 (41%)

140 (47%)

46 (45%)

Body positioning to relieve breathlessness

Often or always

147 (44%)

66 (70%)

p < 0.001

101 (31%)

59 (68%)

p < 0.001

95 (32%)

73(72%)

p < 0.001

Rarely or sometimes

114 (34%)

24 (25%)

123 (38%)

23 (26%)

115 (38%)

22 (22%)

Never

75 (22%)

5 (5%)

100 (31%)

5 (6%)

90 (30%)

7 (7%)

Walking aids

Often or always

149 (44%)

63 (66%)

p < 0.001

111 (34%)

54 (62%)

p < 0.001

102 (34%)

65 (64%)

p < 0.001

Rarely or sometimes

132 (39%)

26 (27%)

145 (45%)

26 (30%)

129 (43%)

29 (28%)

Never

55 (16%)

6 (6%)

68 (21%)

7 (8%)

70 (23%)

8 (8%)

Meditative interventions

Often or always

34 (10%)

23 (24%)

p < 0.001

34 (11%)

27 (31%)

p < 0.001

44 (15%)

22 (22%)

p = 0.005

Rarely or sometimes

109 (32%)

44 (46%)

108 (33%)

34 (39%)

104 (35%)

47 (46%)

Never

193 (57%)

28 (30%)

182 (56%)

26 (30%)

153 (51%)

33 (32%)

Cognitive/emotional interventions

Often or always

48 (14%)

28 (30%)

p = 0.001

49 (15%)

29 (33%)

p = 0.001

75 (25%)

31 (30%)

p = 0.195

Rarely or sometimes

162 (48%)

45 (47%)

152 (47%)

34 (39%)

124 (41%)

46 (45%)

Never

126 (38%)

22 (23%)

123 (38%)

24 (28%)

102 (34%)

25 (25%)

  1. Percentages > or < 100% are due to rounding
  2. COPD, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; fILD, Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease; LC, Lung Cancer; PC, Palliative Care; RM, Respiratory Medicine
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