EFFECT OF TRAINING AND REMINDER SHORT MESSAGES ON THE FATIGUE LEVEL OF INDIVIDUALS WITH COPD: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Objective: The study aimed to determine the effect of education and reminder short messages on fatigue levels in individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Method: Randomized controlled experimental study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06286072). The study was conducted with 105 patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of COPD between December 15, 2023, and May 15, 2024. The patients were randomized into three groups, 35 in each group. The first group was assigned as the education+message group, the second group as the education group, and the third group as the control group (routine treatment and care). The education content consisted of COPD and fatigue management. The education was completed in three days. Messages included reminders of the education content and motivational sentences. Questionnaires were applied to all patients at baseline and the end of 8 weeks to determine their personal information, degree of dyspnea, general COPD status, and fatigue level. Results: In intragroup comparisons, dyspnea and fatigue levels decreased significantly and the general COPD status improved in the education+message group (p<0.001). In the education group, dyspnea severity decreased (p=0.014) and the general COPD status improved (p=0.013). There was no significant difference in the control group. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in intergroup comparisons and the strongest effect was in the education +message, education, and control groups (d1>d2>d3). Conclusion: Education and 8-week short message intervention in patients with COPD effectively reduced dyspnea severity and fatigue and improved the general COPD status. Education alone was not successful in alleviating fatigue in the long term. Therefore, post-discharge patient follow-up should be taken into consideration.