The Awareness Level of Pulmonary Rehabilitation and Compliance with Respiratory Exercises After COVID-19

Aim: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that can cause respiratory, physical, psycho-logical, and generalized systemic dysfunction. COVID-19 can significantly impact the respiratory system. Pulmo-nary rehabilitation may be required for the appropriate person and at the appropriate time. Methods: The study included 112 outpatients who were admitted to the Pulmonary Diseases and Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Polyclinics after being diagnosed with COVID-19 between January 2021 and June 2021. The demographic data of the patients, their smoking behavior and duration, the Modified Charlson Comorbidity Index, clinical characteristics of the disease, the Modified Borg Scale were all assessed. The presence of information on respiratory exercises, the source of this information, and their compliance with the exercises were all evaluated. Results: Of the patients, 30 (26,8%) of them reported that they have information on respiratory exercises. Only 11 (36,7%)’i of these patients were doing the respiratory exercises regularly. In the study, the history of hospital¬ization and high level of education were found positive correlated with the presence of information on pulmonary rehabilitation (p=0.001). Compliance with exercises was found low. Conclusions: In the study, the history of hospitalization and high level of education were found to correlate with the presence of knowledge on pulmonary rehabilitation. Exercise compliance was found to be low. The number of awareness-raising activities for these patients and healthcare professionals should be increased to reduce their morbidity, mortality, and health expenditure.