A digital self-management programme (BreathTec) to support mental health in patients with a chronic respiratory disease: A retrospective analysis.

<bold>Aim:</bold> We aimed to retrospectively analyse whether BreathTec, a digital self-managment tool, was feasible and effective at supporting components of mental health in patients with chronic respiratory disease. <bold>Methods:</bold> The digital self-managment tool combined cognitive behavioural therapy approaches, tools to manage breathlessness, advice to become more physically active and support to improve mental health. Across the five interactive sessions (1- assessment, 2- managing breathlessness, 3- staying active, 4- mental health & 5- final assessment), patients are asked to complete two questionnaires (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] & 36-item health survey [SF-36]) and provide feedback on various components of BreathTec. <bold>Results:</bold> To date, 105 patients have enrolled to BreathTec, with 60 patients (57%) having thus far completed session 3 and 44 patients (42%) having completed all 5 sessions. Patient feedback on completion was excellent, with 83% managing breathlessness better, 52% more active, and 76% seeing improvements in mood. Of the 105 patients, 72 reported elevated (≥8 HADS) symptoms of anxiety (12.4±3.1) and/or depression (11.5±4.2) at baseline. Clinically meaningful reductions in both anxiety and depression were reported following completion of session 3 and 5. Improvements in the mental summary of the SF-36 were also reported following completion of session 5. <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Following five sessions of BreathTec, clinically meaningful reductions in anxiety and depression were reported alongside improvements in the SF-36 mental summary and positive patient feedback for improved mood, symptom management and being more active.