BACKGROUND: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is recognized as the prevailing standard of care for patients with chronic respiratory conditions. National surveys of PR programs provide important information regarding the structure, content and organization of these programs.OBJECTIVE: To conduct a national survey to characterize adult PR across Canada, in terms of program distribution, utilization, content and outcome measures.METHODS: A cross‐sectional descriptive study in which questionnaires were mailed to PR programs connected with hospitals or identified through the Canadian Lung Association was performed.RESULTS: Of the 98 PR programs identified, over 90% of patients in the programs had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 57% of the programs were outpatient. Inpatient programs accounted for only 10% of the total. The main program components included supervised lower extremity strength (77%), cycle (72%) and treadmill (70%) training, education (75%) and breathing retraining (68%). Over 80% of patients completed their programs and 90% of patients were enrolled in a follow‐up component. Physical therapists, dieticians, respiratory therapists and respirologists were the most commonly identified health care providers. The most commonly used outcome measures were the 6 min walk test and disease‐specific quality of life questionnaires.CONCLUSION: There were similarities in program format, content, staffing, follow‐up and funding among Canadian PR programs. The marked shortfall between the national PR capacity and the prevalence of COPD meant that only 1.2% of the COPD population had access to PR.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two postrehabilitation programmes on functional exercise tolerance and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Subjects with COPD (n=109) were randomised to receive either enhanced follow-up (EF) or conventional follow-up (CF). Subjects in the EF group attended a monthly support group and received a telephone call from a staff member at the midpoint (2 weeks) between their visits. Both groups had scheduled appointments with a physical therapist and physician at 3‐monthly intervals after discharge.Longitudinal data were recorded in 85 subjects (37 EF and 48 CF). Over the course of the study, there was no difference in distance walked in 6 min between the two groups but a significant difference for time and a group-time interaction. There was no difference in total chronic respiratory disease questionnaire score between groups at baseline or at any time interval despite a significant difference with time.There was a clear deterioration in functional exercise capacity and health-related quality of life after completion of respiratory rehabilitation but no difference between the groups.

Background: Stroke-specific protocols for the 10-meter and 6-minute walk tests that include instructions for people with aphasia, accessible walkway lengths, and allow provision of assistance to walk are needed to facilitate uptake in hospital settings. Objectives: To estimate the test-retest reliability, measurement error, and construct validity of stroke-specific protocols for the 10-meter walk test (10mWT), and 6-minute walk test conducted using a 15-meter walkway (6MWT_15m) and 30-meter walkway (6MWT_30m), in people post-stroke. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study involving ambulatory people post-stroke was conducted. Results: Data were collected from 21 and 20 participants at baseline and retest, respectively, 1–3 days apart. Mean age was 61 years, median time post-stroke was 134 days, and 90% had experienced an ischemic stroke. Performance on the 10mWT, 6MWT_15m, and 6MWT_30m across sessions yielded intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC_{2, 1}) estimates of test-retest reliability of 0.83, 0.97, 0.95, respectively, and minimal detectable change values at the 95% confidence level of 0.40m/s, 44.0m, and 67.5m, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients were 0.80–0.95 (p < .001) between results on all three walk tests and 0.27–0.48 (p < .25) between walk test results and strength subscale scores on the Stroke Impact Scale. Conclusions: Findings showed excellent test-retest reliability; measurement error values similar to current literature; and support for construct validity of the 10mWT, 6MWT_15m, and 6MWT_30m. Due to the shorter walkway, the 6MWT_15m may be more feasible to implement than the 6MWT_30m in hospital settings. A larger sample with more severe deficits is required to improve generalizability.