The following is a summary of “Invisibility of breathlessness in clinical consultations: a cross-sectional, national online survey” published in the November 2022 Issue of Respiratory By Kochovska, et al.
People forced to live with this disabling symptom for an extended period of time may experience a decline in their physical, mental, and social well-being. It is helpful in determining the right non-pharmacological and pharmacological care to identify its impact on patients and the family members of those patients.
The results of a randomized controlled experiment found that medical professionals are less likely to diagnose or treat persistent dyspnea than they are to treat chronic pain. The study compared the 2 conditions. It has been estimated that 9.5% of adults suffer from shortness of breath, with one in 100 people being severely affected daily. Researchers conducted a population study with the aim of determining the percentage of patients who suffer from shortness of breath and report having this symptom during clinical consultations.
The research was carried out to determine the percentage of patients who suffer from shortness of breath. If the subject was discussed, investigators looked at whether patients or clinicians (i.e., medical professionals like doctors and nurses) were the ones who initiated the conversation first. In the event that the subject was not brought up, they studied whether or not patients would be willing to participate in such dialogues.
Source: erj.ersjournals.com/content/60/5/2201603
