Breathlessness action plan survey

 

Breathlessness action plans are easy-to-follow, step-by-step guides on what to do when breathlessness becomes suddenly worse, using simple strategies like breathing techniques, positioning, and a hand-held fan. They differ from COPD action plans that focus on assessing and managing a COPD exacerbation using medical treatments.

Project co-design - express your interest

The first phase of this project was a survey, which closed at the end of 2023.

We are now inviting expressions of interest to be involved in the co-design phase of the project, which will take place in 2024.

Please contact the project team via Breathe@uts.edu.au or call +61 (0)493 867 101 for more information.

The survey

A survey was conducted from October to December 2023 to learn about people's experience of using a breathlessness action plan.

Participation in the survey involved completing a 15-minute online questionnaire or telephone/Zoom interview. Participants could include: 

• people living with COPD who had first-hand experience of using a breathlessness action plan and family members or other people who provided support to someone with COPD using a breathlessness action plan; and
• health professionals from any discipline or specialty who recommended and/or completed breathlessness action plans with people with COPD as part of the support they provided.

The plan could have been one sourced through a health service or other organisation, or one that had been developed by the participant.

Results from the survey will inform the co-design of an optimal breathlessness action plan to be made available free of charge by the Lung Foundation Australia as a complement to their COPD action plan.

The survey has now closed.