Barriers and Facilitators to Inhaler Adherence in Elderly Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND

Inhalation therapy is the mainstay of pharmacological treatment for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Elderly individuals with COPD often face greater challenges in using inhalers, and their experiences with inhaler use significantly influence treatment adherence and outcomes. Therefore, it is imperative to understand barriers and facilitators influencing inhaler adherence among elderly COPD patients, based on their perceptions and experiences with inhaled medications.

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with elderly COPD patients recruited from a tertiary hospital in China. Data were analyzed through conventional content analysis with NVivo 11.

RESULTS

A total of 20 participants (mean age: 75.9 years; 35% female) completed the interviews. Two themes with six subthemes were identified. The two themes were facilitators for inhaler adherence and barriers to inhaler adherence. Facilitators included perceived manageability of inhaler devices and perceived benefits of inhalation therapy. Barriers involved physical limitations, communication challenges between patients and health providers, forgetfulness, and inconvenient refill policies.

CONCLUSION

Adapting and optimizing inhaler devices to patient needs, increasing patient awareness of the benefits of inhalation therapy, and establishing continuous, effective pathways of patient-provider communication may represent promising approaches to improve inhaler adherence in elderly individuals with COPD.