New Research To Help Rural Sufferers Of Lung Disease

29th January 2009

The Centre for Rural Health in Inverness, and Distance Lab, a digital media research institute based at Horizon Scotland in Forres, are to work together to develop a new communication system that will enable suffers of chronic lung disease to participate in group rehabilitation exercises in the comfort of their own homes. The research has been funded by a £63,000 grant from Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS).

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - which includes lung diseases like chronic bronchitis and emphysema - is one of the most common respiratory diseases in the UK, affecting at least 900,000 people. Rehabilitation groups led by therapists can improve symptoms and quality of life for patients, but may not be accessible to people living in more remote places. In the Highlands of Scotland there are over 4,500 people with COPD, of whom almost half live in the most peripheral general practice areas, remote from specialist clinic facilities. Travel demands means that many patients are unable to attend exercise groups.

The grant will be used to develop and trial a system that will enable patients to undertake rehabilitation exercises in a group from their own homes via the internet, through the use of a novel video-conferencing system.

Professor David Godden from the Centre for Rural Health, said: "Evidence shows that being in a group setting and performing the exercises together with other patients gives sufferers much needed support and improves their outcome. This project will investigate how to use Internet-based communication to maintain this group effect while patients participate in exercises in their own homes".

The 18 month project, due to commence in February, will investigate the feasibility of a rehabilitation programme being delivered over a distance using internet-based audiovisual communication and explore ways in which to enhance the patient's experience through interactive design, visualisation and physiological monitoring.

"We are delighted to have been awarded this grant in partnership with the Centre for Rural Health" Dr Stefan Agamanolis, chief executive of Distance Lab said. "Digital media technology is creating incredible opportunities for rural health service delivery and empowering remote patients to take ownership of their health care".

The grant was awarded by Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland (CHSS), a Scottish-based charity which provides care and support for people and families affected by lung disease, and funds research into prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and the social impact of chest, heart and stroke illness.

CHSS chief executive David Clark said, "We are delighted to fund this project which uses internet-based technology to support patients in their own homes. We are always interested in funding research, which has a direct impact on patients' lives throughout Scotland, including rural and remote areas such as Highland. We very much look forward to the results of this study."

Professor Godden concludes, "This project addresses an important therapy for people with a debilitating lung disease. It examines the use of communication technology that will widen the availability of services and improve the quality of life for people regardless of their location or their ability to travel to hospitals for treatment".