Knowledge and practice of dry powder inhalation among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a regional hospital, Nepal.

Purpose: Dry powder inhalation is a cornerstone of treatment in patients with COPD. This study was undertaken to study the knowledge and practice of dry powder inhalation among such patients.

Patients and methods: The current study was a cross-sectional study conducted in Western Regional Hospital, Pokhara, Nepal. The study was conducted among 204 COPD patients (outpatients and inpatients) aged ≥20 years who had been using rotahaler, a dry powder inhaler device, and a purposive sampling technique was used. Data were collected from February 28, 2016, to March 26, 2016. A questionnaire was administered by the interviewer to assess the knowledge about dry powder inhaler (DPI) and inhalation while a Dutch Asthma Foundation observation checklist for rotahaler was used to evaluate the practice of dry powder inhalation. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (chi-square test).

Results: Findings from the study showed that a low proportion of the respondents had accurate knowledge and correctly practiced inhalation technique (3.9%). However, majority of the respondents (77.5%) performed the critical steps correctly. The correct practice of dry powder inhalation was associated with younger age ( p =0.008), urban residence ( p =0.024), and literacy ( p =0.012). The practice was comparatively more accurate among those who received practical classes/demonstration on the inhalation technique from health care providers ( p <0.001).

Conclusion: Based on the study findings, it was concluded that COPD patients attending Western Regional Hospital possessed satisfactory knowledge but poor technique of dry powder inhalation. The most important modifiable factor for incorrect practice was a lack of demonstration on inhalation technique by the health care provider. Therefore, it is necessary for health care providers to supplement verbal instruction on dry powder inhalation with demonstration and re-demonstration from the patients to improve the knowledge and practice of dry powder inhalation for COPD patients.