CHAT Phase 2: Feasibility and acceptability study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility and acceptability testing of a very brief behavioural change approach to assist healthcare professionals discuss pulmonary rehabilitation with people living with COPD (CHAT-2)
IRAS ID
355215
Contact name
Rachel Tuffnell
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Brunel University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Why is this important:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung condition which causes people to get breathless. A treatment that helps with breathlessness is an exercise and education programme called pulmonary rehabilitation (called rehab for short). However, only a small number of people are referred for and start rehab.In the past, there were similar problems with the referral of smokers to stop smoking services. However, a way of changing people’s behaviour, called Very Brief Advice, has increased the number of people referred for support and who stop smoking. Changing Very Brief Advice (or VBA for short) so it can be used by healthcare workers to discuss a rehab referral with people with COPD may be a way to increase the number of people who agree to be referred to rehab.
What is involved:
Fifty healthcare workers from four GP practices and hospitals will complete a 30-minute eLearning training programme and use what they learn when discussing rehab with their COPD patients. The number of patients who are referred to and start rehab will be recorded for three months. The same information will also be collected for the same three months in the previous year to make a comparison.We will record the consultation between the 15 healthcare professionals and their COPD patients (n=15) to check how the healthcare professionals discuss rehab with their patients. We will telephone the same patients to look at what they remember from the consultation.
We will also hold group meetings or interviews so healthcare professionals (n=16) and people with COPD (n=16) can share their opinions of Very Brief Advice for rehab so we can make any necessary changes.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NW/0365
Date of REC Opinion
15 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion