Interactive 3D Visualization Technique Used in Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the major health scourges. In 2002 COPD was the fifth leading cause of death and estimates show that COPD becomes in 2030 the third leading cause of death worldwide. The dominant cause of COPD is tobacco smoking. COPD now affects men and women almost equally. The most common symptoms of COPD are breathlessness, excessive sputum production, and a chronic cough which causes decrease in health related quality of life (HRQL). Dyspnea and movement limitations are also common symptoms in patients with COPD and this often leads to reduced levels of physical activity, physical capacity and HRQL. The Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) is a valid evaluation tool for HRQL in patients with chronic cough. Currently no specific cough questionnaire exists in Swedish.

Pulmonary rehabilitation including education and exercise training improves health. The Physiotherapy department has conducted rehabilitation programs for patients with COPD since 1995. The COPD-program has several times been updated according to existing evidence.

Education in anatomy, physiology, physical therapy and self-training is a big part of the physical therapist's workday. The education imparts complex knowledge. It is demanding to mediate this as education is expected to raise the patient's desire to understand, create opportunities to understand and leave a lasting impression. In effective learning repetition, own search for information, stimulation, emotional impact and experience are important factors. Information technology is developing rapidly and patient's use of this technology is increasing. It is therefore essential that education is adapted to new requirements. Interactive 3 dimensional (3D) visualization techniques can be used to represent the human body. Interactive 3D technique used in patient education has not yet been studied.

A new education material with 3D technique was developed, by integrating 3D technology in an existing evidence-based pulmonary educational program, to enable an increased personalized education within a group setting. The investigators believe that this educational model will lead to increased adherence to treatment, and suggested lifestyle changes, which in turn improves patients' HRQL

In the current study it will be investigated whether och not there are differences between pulmonary educational program in interactive 3D visualization technology and in conventional technique in patients with COPD.