Self-management of oxygen and bronchodilators to relieve the dyspnoea of lung cancer with pneumoconiosis.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the level of dyspnoea and the self-management strategies used to alleviate dyspnoea in lung cancer patients with concurrent pneumoconiosis, particularly oxygen therapy and bronchodilator treatment. Furthermore, the authors aimed to determine the factors associated with such self-management and to provide a basis for developing an applicable and safe treatment plan for alleviating dyspnoea.

METHOD: This study involved a cross-sectional survey. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from 79 participants between January and July 2016, and self-management strategies were analysed using analysis of variance and multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In terms of the self-management practices employed to relieve dyspnoea, 53.2% of the patients adjusted their oxygen intake and 70.9% used bronchodilators over the prescribed dosage. Adjusting the oxygen intake was not significantly associated with any of the patient characteristics. The factors related to increased bronchodilator use were the presence of comorbidities, cardiopulmonary function, subjective respiratory distress, activities of daily living, and the number of prescribed bronchodilators.

CONCLUSION

Dyspnoea is a severe critical condition, and urgent management of its clinical symptoms is required. Healthcare professionals who care for patients with lung cancer with pneumoconiosis should pay attention to the dyspnoea and manage it based on clinical evidence. Development of customised, integrated nursing treatment plans is needed to alleviate dyspnoea in patients with complications and chronic dyspnoea who have low daily activity levels.