Erol, Serhat Mardin State Hospital - Pulmonary Medicine, Turkey , Tandoğdu, Şehnaz Olgun Kızıltepe State Hospital - Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Turkey , Gülen, Şule Taş Mardin State Hospital - Pulmonary Medicine Clinic, Turkey , Oktay, Burcu Mardin State Hospital - Pulmonary Medicine Clinic, Turkey , Tunç, Pınar Mardin State Hospital - Pulmonary Medicine Clinic, Turkey , Terzioğlu, Kadriye Mardin State Hospital - Pulmonary Medicine Clinic, Turkey

Long term oxygen therapy and factors affecting patient adherence

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Aim. Long-term oxygen therapy delays the adverse effects of chronic hypoxemia and improvessurvival. Long term oxygen therapy must be administered at least fifteen hours a day in order to beeffective. Adherence to long-term oxygen therapy is the main problem. In this study we evaluatedpatient adherence to long-term oxygen therapy and reasons of poor compliance. Method. Aquestionnaire was administered to 51 patients whom long-term oxygen therapywas prescribed atMardin State Hospital or Kızıltepe State hospital between 2009 and March 2012. Questionnairewas administered face to face or on telephone call. Results. Among 51 patients 32 were male, 19were female. Thirty seven patients (72.5%) had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Thirteenpatients (25.5%) were using oxygen at least fifteen hours a day. Remaining 38 patients (74.5%)were using less than fifteen hours. Of these 38 patients 22 patients were using oxygen wheneverthey had dyspnea, 3 patients at night and remaining 13 patients were using oxygen between 2 to 10hours. Forty four patients reported improvement with long-term oxygen therapy , 2 patients saidthat they didn’t notice any improvements and 5 patients were not sure about benefits of long-termoxygen therapy . Twenty seven patients (52.9%) knew that they should use at least fifteen hours.Among these 27 patients 15 patients were using less than prescribed hours, although they knewthey should use at least fifteen hours. Only 4 patients reported reasons for poor compliance. Onepatient was afraid of getting addicted, one patient suffered from noise and two patients reportedthat they were not at home during day time. Conclusion. This study revealed that compliance withlong-term oxygen therapy is an important issue. We think that poor compliance is due toinadequate patient information. Home care service can help for both patient education and followup.

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Chronic respiratory failure , long , term oxygen therapy , patient adherence

Cumhuriyet Medical Journal

278