Current Situation and Development Approach for Health Services to Enhance Health Literacy and Self-Management Among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological research aimed to explore the current situation and development approach for health services designed to enhance health literacy and self-management skills among patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The study was conducted in COPD clinics of hospital under the Ministry of Public Health in a southern province of Thailand. The participants consisted of 15 professional nurses and 38 COPD patients. Data were collected using open-ended questions, verified using methodological triangulation and peer debriefing, and analyzed using content analysis according to the reflexive thematic analysis process.

The findings revealed that the current service delivery situation can be divided into four main themes: 1) service delivery models, 2) health literacy and self-management skills status, 3) systemic obstacles to service access, and 4) psychosocial impacts and economic burdens. The guidelines for healthcare service development are divided into six main themes: 1) developing integrated service models, 2) enhancing practical skills of patients, 3) establishing a screening and follow-up system for patients based on severity, 4) creating learning materials that meet patient needs, 5) increasing two-way communication channels for symptom monitoring, and 6) supporting the role of families and communities. This study indicates that healthcare services lack continuity. Patients also possess insufficient health literacy and self-management skills regarding. Meanwhile, service delivery is constrained by limited time, personnel, and learning resources. The acquired knowledge can be utilized to develop service approaches that meet patients' needs, resulting in a better quality of life and reducing the burden on the healthcare system.