Factors influencing adherence to home based pulmonary rehabilitation programme by high risk patients awaiting lung surgery: mixed methods study

Objective Preoperative home based pulmonary rehabilitation (HPR) can reduce postoperative complications in lung surgery patients. This study aimed to investigate the level of adherence to a preoperative HPR programme in high risk patients awaiting lung surgery, and factors influencing adherence. Design A mixed methods explanatory sequential design consisting of a quantitative questionnaire survey and a qualitative interview study. Setting The study was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Chongqing, China. Participants 186 high risk patients awaiting lung surgery were enrolled in the preoperative HPR programme. All 186 patients participated in the quantitative questionnaire survey. 13 of the 186 patients were selected to participate in the qualitative interview study. Results Quantitative questionnaire results revealed an adherence rate of 52.3%. Marital status, residence location, exercise habit, smoking index and pulmonary function were identified as independent influencers of adherence (p<0.05). Qualitative interviews identified poor health, lack of family and social support, adverse weather condition, arduous preoperative examination and unfit exercise intensity as barriers to adherence, and perceived health benefits, family support, and flexibility and convenience in exercise time and space as factors encouraging adherence. Conclusions High risk patients awaiting lung surgery adhered to preoperative HPR at a moderate level. A tiered approach can be used to develop personalised HPR protocols based on patients' individual needs and situations to improve adherence and maximise the benefits of HPR.