The psychological needs of patients affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma in rehabilitative settings: The «PsiRiResp» explorative study

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are major causes of morbidity and mortality, and their management requires a rehabilitative multidisciplinary approach. The presence of anxiety and/or depression in COPD and asthma patients is associated with poor adherence, increased mortality, exacerbation rates and length of hospital stay and decreased quality of life and functional status. In a rehabilitation team, the psychologist could improve the screening of patients’ psychological needs and their treatments. Based on available evidence, this study proposes a multidisciplinary team-working model to support early screening and the integration of psychological contributions to the care of inpatients with COPD or asthma. For patients who are also experiencing clinical or sub-threshold psychological upset, low to high intensity psychosocial interventions could include brief and targeted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), relaxation and self-management of emotional states, and multidisciplinary educational sessions. The aims of this project are to activate early assessment to search for the burden of psychological needs in COPD or asthmatic patients and to improve quality of care.