Global RECHARGE: Establishing a standard international data set for pulmonary rehabilitation in low- and middle-income countries
Mark Orme, Robert C. Free, Adrian Manise, Amy Jones, Azamat Akylbekov, Andy Barton, Berik Emilov, Bhushan Girase, Akila R Jayamaha, Rupert Jones, Winceslaus Katagira, Bruce Kirenga, Jesse Matheson, Ruhme B Miah, Chamilya Perrera, Shruti Sahasrabudhe, Sundeep Salvi, Rogers Sekibira, Talant Sooronbaev, Michael Steiner, Savi Wimalasekera, Sally Singh
Abstract
hronic respiratory diseases (CRD) are highly prevalent in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). People living with CRD are often disabled by breathlessness which can result in reduced health-related quality of life, including reduced exercise tolerance, significant psychological morbidity and reduced ability to work. Implementing clinically and cost-effective interventions to tackle these problems can be challenging in low-resource settings. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a low cost, high impact intervention that reverses CRD-related disability and is supported by the highest level of research. Pulmonary rehabilitation is delivered by a multidisciplinary team and has exercise training and education at its core to support