Digital Delivery of Living Well With COPD for Patient Education and Self-management - a Mixed-method Study

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is a common lung disease. People suffering from COPD typically experience shortness of breath, coughing, and mucus production. The condition is usually treated with medication, but it is equally important that patients are well-informed about COPD and receive guidance on how to live with it.

The currently available program, "Living well with COPD (LWWCOPD)," is a patient education and self-management program offered on-site in healthcare institutions (such as the Lung League) over six sessions across six weeks. Studies have shown that participating in this program can improve quality of life and overall health, and COPD patients who have completed it tend to require hospitalization less frequently.

However, not all patients who could benefit from the program are able to attend in person-either due to the fixed schedule or because traveling to the training site is too difficult. Therefore, this study aims to determine whether the digital version of the "Living well with COPD" program is equally effective and perhaps more convenient for some patients. The digital version closely mirrors the existing program and consists of various modules that provide information about COPD and practical strategies for managing the disease in daily life. Only once its effectiveness is scientifically proven can the digital version be implemented in Switzerland for COPD patients.

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Key information

Conditions

COPD Chronic Disease Disease Attributes Lung Diseases Lung Diseases, Obstructive Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive Respiratory Tract Diseases

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Age ≥ 18 years
Diagnosis of COPD (any stage and severity)
Able to speak/read/understand German or French
Access to a cell phone, tablet or personal desktop computer with active internet access
Willing and able to understand and provide written informed consent
Current or recent enrolment in a pulmonary rehabilitation program is permitted

Exclusion criteria

Inability to follow the procedures/instructions of the study or to participate in the intervention (e.g. due to language or cognitive barriers, psychological disorders, physical reasons)
Patients already having completed the conventional LWWCOPD

Treatment and study plan

digital LWWCOPD

Behavioral

LWWCOPD (Living well with COPD) contains six modules conventionally delivered by trained LWWCOPD Coaches. For the digital delivery the six modules are as closely adapted to the conventional LWWCOPD program as possible to make the two approaches comparable. Participants can access the digital LWWCOPD application by a weblink using a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. Since the program duration of the conventional LWWCOPD is 6 weeks (one module per week), patients will be instructed to complete the digital LWWCOPD also within 6 weeks at their own pace, although completion within 12 weeks (3 months) is still possible. Modules can be repeated as chosen by the user. In contrast to the conventional delivery, the online delivery of LWWCOPD does not preview face-to-face contact between participants and healthcare providers, however if needed additional phone calls or meetings are still possible.

Primary outcomes

Change in HRQoL (Health-Related Quality of Life)

Time frame: From enrollment to the end of intervention at 3 months

Change in HRQoL, assessed by the Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ) from baseline (before start with digital LWWCOPD program) to three months follow-up (after completion of digital LWWCOPD program)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern

Other

Collaborators

Cantonal Hospital of St. Gallen
University Hospital, Geneva

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2025
Primary completion: 2028
Study completion: 2028
First posted: Jun 22, 2025
Registry last updated: Jun 22, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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