Overview
Project title: Pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with chronic respiratory diseases in Malaysia: a feasibility study
Acute or chronic: Chronic
Based at: University of Malaya
Start date: 1st May 2020
End date: 31st August 2021
Principal investigator: Professor Dr Ee Ming Khoo
Project team: Dr Chan Soo Chin, Associate Professor Dr Julia Patrick Engkasan, Professor Dr Su May Liew, Associate Professor Dr Anwar Suhaimi, Dr Saari Bin Mohamad Yatim, Associate Professor Dr Nik Sherina Haidi Binti Hanafi, Dr Norita Binti Hussein, Dr Ahmad Ihsan Bin Abu Bakar, Associate Professor Dr Pang Yong Kek, Professor Hilary Pinnock, Dr Monsur Habib
Background
Chronic respiratory disease (CRD), including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), is a growing problem worldwide.
Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a proven effective strategy to improve shortness of breath, health status, and exercise tolerance. It also reduces re-admissions to hospital and death in patients with CRD.
Despite this, a limited number of hospitals in Malaysia provide PR services to people with CRD, and those which do often lack a specific structured PR programme.
Aim and impact
Building on the experience of RESPIRE colleagues in India and Bangladesh, a team at the University of Malaya will conduct a feasibility study on delivering a PR programme to people with CRD in Malaysia. The PR programme will include components derived from existing PR guidelines, adapted for local use.
This research will provide the opportunity to test whether a PR programme could be implemented locally, to improve the lives of those with CRD in Malaysia.