The Effect of Salt Water Nebulization on Cough, Sputum and Quality of Life in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Patients

In order to ensure randomization, the control group patient was selected on one day of the week and on the other day of the experiment. The patients were selected to be 50 people in the experimental group and 50 people in the control group. The experimental group was completed with 37 patients and the control group with 44 patients. The data were collected from the Patient Information Form, Modified Medical Research Council Scale/Medical Research Board Scale (MMRC), COPD Assessment Test (CAT), St. George was collected by Respiratory Survey. SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics 27) package program was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics and frequency tables were used in the interpretation of the findings. Parametric methods were used for the measurement values in accordance with the normal distribution. In accordance with parametric methods, the "Paired-Sample" test (t-table value) method was used to compare the measurement values of the two dependent groups. Non-parametric methods were used for measurement values that do not correspond to the normal distribution. In accordance with non-parametric methods, the "Mann-Whitney U" test (Z-table value) was used to compare the measurement values of two independent groups, and the "Friedman" test (χ2-table value) was used to compare the measurement values of three or more dependent groups. The "Pearson-χ2" cross tables were used to examine the relationships of the two qualitative variables to each other. The "Spearman" correlation coefficient was used to examine the relationships of two quantitative variables with each other.

Inclusion criteria

• 35 years and above,
• Volunteer to participate in the research,
• Diagnosed with Stable COPD by the physician,
• Those who have not had an attack in the last month (are stable in terms of drug treatment),
• Having no vision, speech or hearing problems that would prevent understanding and applying the information given,
• Those who have smoked for at least 10 years or more,
• Individuals who are mentally competent (without intellectual disability).

Exclusion criteria

• Those who do not want to participate in the research,
• Hearing-speech impaired,
• Unable to communicate due to speaking different languages,
• Patients diagnosed by a physician with hypertension, ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, chronic renal failure, stroke and other cerebrovascular disease, angina, major psychiatric disease (dementia, schizophrenia, etc.).