Overview
Patients with fibrotic insterstitial lung disease (ILD) participating in inpatient rehabilitation or in outpatient pulmonary care will be invited to participate in this observational study. Patients will fill out questionnaire regarding quality of life and symptoms at baseline and follow-up (at the end of rehabilitation or after the second outpatient ILD consultation). Additionally, clinical data obtained in clinical routine or for the IIP registry will be used for this project.
The aim is to assess changes in self-efficacy and quality of life over time and to establish a control cohort for a later feasibility study on a educational and self-management intervention (currently in planning).
Description
This exploratory, uncontrolled, before-and-after, multicentre observational study investigated self-efficacy and health-related quality of life in patients with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (fILD) who were undergoing inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation at the Berner Reha Zentrum or outpatient ILD care at the Inselspital, University Hospital Bern.
The study has two objectives: (1) to describe changes in self-efficacy and quality of life among fILD patients receiving usual care; and (2) to provide a control group for a subsequent feasibility study evaluating a newly developed digital patient education and self-management programme (PESM).
The PESM programme is a blended-learning intervention combining web-based e-learning modules with face-to-face clarification of content by a physiotherapist during inpatient rehabilitation or an ILD nurse during outpatient consultations. The programme was implemented sequentially at each site at different time points: On October 2025 at the Berner Reha Zentrum (inpatient) and on March 2026 at the Inselspital (outpatient).
Patients who enrolled prior to the implementation of the PESM programme at their respective site, or who declined to participate in the programme after its implementation, are included in the Observational Group (usual care only). Patients who enrolled after implementation and accepted participation in the PESM programme are included in the Self-management Group (usual care plus PESM).
Outcomes are assessed at baseline (t0) and at follow-ups at t1 (14-40 days after t0 for the inpatient setting only) and t2 (60-120 days after t0). These assessments include self-efficacy (PRAISE), health-related quality of life (K-BILD), self-reported symptoms, anxiety and depression (HADS), functional status and routinely collected clinical data. Comparing the two cohorts (before and after PESM implementation) will provide initial insights into the programme's potential effectiveness, as well as providing feasibility outcomes regarding acceptability, appropriateness and feasibility (AIM/IAM/FIM).
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria are:
- For Berner Reha Zentrum only: Diagnosis of a FILD as major indication for pulmonary rehabilitation
- For Inselspital only: Enrolled in Idiopathic interstitial Pneumonia (IIP) cohort study (Nr. 246/15 / PB\_2016-01524) and agreed to further use of data for further research purpose
- Age ≥ 18 years
- Written informed consent
Exclusion criteria are:
- Cognitive inability or insufficient knowledge of project language (German) to follow informed consent or study procedures
- Sarcoidosis
