Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation with Occupational Therapy on Occupational Performance

Aims1) Explore occupational challenges of individuals participating in pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), and 2) examine impacts of occupational therapy, embedded within PR, on performance of, satisfaction with, dyspnea in and experience of challenging occupations.MethodsA mixed methods cohort study recruited adults from a 8-week community-based PR program which incorporated targeted occupational therapy. Participant perspectives of the occupational therapy were explored using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) and Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale.ResultsSeventeen participants with either Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Bronchiectasis, or Interstitial Lung Disease were recruited (age 71 +/- 7(SD) identifying 269 problematic occupations. Nine participants completed the program obtaining clinically and statistically significant improvements in COPM performance, satisfaction scores and Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale, maintained at 12 wk, and validated through participants reporting they 'now do things differently'.ConclusionPeople with chronic respiratory conditions are occupational beings. Occupational therapy embedded within PR can influence participants' engagement in challenging occupations.