Health Economic Accompanying Study of the Self-Management Coaching Program "Living Well with COPD"

Result

Participants' health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) changed only slightly in the year following the coaching, which can be interpreted as stabilization given the progressive nature of COPD.

Direct medical costs remained largely unchanged on average.

Description

The Swiss Lung Association, the Swiss Society of Pneumology and several cantonal lung associations are implementing the self-management coaching program "Living Well with COPD," originally developed in Canada. The program targets patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and teaches knowledge and skills for managing the disease independently. On behalf of Gesundheitsförderung Schweiz, the Winterthur Institute of Health Economics (WIG) at ZHAW conducted an accompanying study with 216 participants examining program costs, the development of healthcare costs and health-related quality of life. The aim was to describe the cost-benefit ratio of the coaching and thereby provide a basis for decisions on the long-term funding of the program.

Key data

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