Improving COPD self-care programs

Optimizing Effectiveness and Implementation of COPD Self-Management Treatment

['FUNDING_R01'] · RUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11301806

This project tries different parts of a COPD self-care program—education, physical activity, and inhaler training—to see which combinations help adults with COPD who had a flare-up in the past year.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorRUSH UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded)
Locations1 site (CHICAGO, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11301806 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would be part of a program that tests different combinations of self-management education, guided physical activity, and inhaler training. The team will enroll 448 adults with a doctor's diagnosis of COPD who experienced an exacerbation in the past year. The trial uses a factorial design over 12 months to compare which components or combinations reduce respiratory-related hospitalizations and to study how practical and affordable each option is to deliver. The goal is to create a simpler, lower-cost self-care program that clinics can realistically offer.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (21+) with a physician-diagnosed COPD who had an exacerbation in the past year and who can participate in program activities and follow-up are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without COPD, those who have not had a recent exacerbation, or those unable to take part in program activities or follow-up (for example due to severe illness or inability to travel) are unlikely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower COPD-related hospitalizations and make effective self-care programs easier and cheaper for clinics to offer.

How similar studies have performed: Prior COPD self-management programs have reduced hospitalizations and improved quality of life, but using a systematic optimization approach to find the best combination of components is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

CHICAGO, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases, Chronic Obstruction Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.