This study was aimed at identifying the effectiveness of hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation programme as compared to home-based pulmonary programme in improving the condition of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hospital. A total of 35 patients aging between 17 to 78 years old were randomised either to hospital (48.6%, n = 20) or home (43%, n = 15) -based pulmonary rehabilitation by the Physiotherapists. For the hospital-based rehabilitation programme, the patients were scheduled to come to the hospital twice a week for eight weeks. For home-based rehabilitation programme, subjects were scheduled to come to the Physiotherapy Department twice to learn on the exercises that need to be carried out before they are allowed to do on their own at home. Each subject was given a diary to record the exercises that have been done. A telephone call is made once a week for monitoring purpose. Assessment of lung function, six-minute-walk test and Borg score were carried out before and after the eight-week rehabilitation is conducted. The Results showed that there was no significant change in lung function for both groups before and after rehabilitation. There is a significant different (p < 0.05) in 6MWT before and after rehabilitation for hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation patients. However, the difference is not significant (p > 0.05) for home-base pulmonary rehabilitation patients. The results also show that there exist no significant correlation between lung function and 6MWT even though there is an increase in walking distance at baseline or the eighth week. In conclusion, hospitalbased pulmonary rehabilitation is more effective than the home-based pulmonary rehabilitation in improving the exercise endurance which would helps in reduce dyspnoea among COPD patients.

This study identified the effectiveness between home-based and hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation program on the quality of life of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Thirty five patients who met the inclusion criteria were referred by physicians and randomized to either hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PRPH) or home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PRPR). The PRPH program was scheduled twice a week for eight weeks at the Physiotherapy Department, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC). Whilst, the PRPR group was required to attend sessions at the Physiotherapy Department twice to learn the exercise regimens before carrying out the exercises themselves at home. Subjects were asked to record activitites in a diary and a telephone call was made once every two weeks to ensure compliance towards the exercise regimens. The SF-36 questionnaire and Geriatric Depression Scale were outcome measures used in assessing status of patients prior to treatment and after intervention at the 8th week Seventeen (48.6%) subjects completed the PRPH and 15 (43%), the PRPR. Results indicated that in the PRPH group there were significant improvements in some of the domains of SF-36, i.e., role physical (p = 0.012) body pain (p = 0.040), general health (p = 0.008) and role emotional (p = 0.012). In the PRPR group, the Geriatric Depression Scale mean score was 1.8 ± 0.41 at baseline compared to 1.69 ± 0.48 following intervention (p > 0.05). Whilst, among the PRPH group, the mean was 1.87 ± 0.35 at baseline and 1.53 ± 0.52 after eight week (p < 0.05). In conclusion, hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation is more effective than the home-based pulmonary rehabilitation in improving the quality of life and reducing depression among patients with COPD.

This study aims to identify the perception of third year physiotherapy students on the teaching and learning during clinical placements. A sample of 154 third year undergraduate and diploma students from the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the Universiti Teknologi Mara and the Kolej Sains Kesihatan Bersekutu completed the questionnaire. High internal reliability of teaching and learning activities scale in the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach alpha (α = 0.94). Findings showed significant differences (p < 0.05) of perception among students in the clinical block between different levels of education, the ideal number of students in a group during clinical teaching session, and in the activity of ‘patient-centered activities,’ as well as 'feedback to the student.’ These findings demonstrated that the level of education does influence the students’ perceptions on their teaching and learning during clinical placements. In conclusion, the level of education is a contributory factor that influences the students’ rate of learning in clinical education.

Introduction: Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ) is one of the disease-specific questionnaires to assess health related quality of life (HRQoL) among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Objectives: This study investigate the validity and reliability of Malay version CRQ among COPD patients. Methods: The CRQ was administered twice to 46 patients with COPD (mean FEV1 44% predicted, FEV1/ IVC 37% predicted) from Medical Center of University Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM).Test-retest reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Internal consistency was determined using Crohnbach’s alpha coefficients (α = 0.7). Spearman’s correlation coefficient was done among the scores of CRQ, St George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and sixminute walking test (6MWT) to examine the concurrent validity of the CRQ (p<0.05). Results: High internal consistency (α > 0.70) was observed for 3 domains of CRQ with exception of dyspnoea domain (α = -0.631). Test retest reliability demonstrated strong correlation (ICC >0.80). Concurrent validity of CRQ, showed significant correlations observed between domain of SGRQ’s symptom, impact and total scores of SGRQ with CRQ’s dyspnoea and emotional function (-0.3< r < -0.4; p<0.05). Significant correlation was observed between 6MWT and CRQ’s fatigue domain (r= 0.390; p=0.007). Conclusions: The Malay version of CRQ is a reliable instrument for measuring health status of patients among chronic respiratory disease especially COPD. Items of fatigue, emotion, and mastery domain of the CRQ are reliable and valid and can be used to assess quality of life in patients with severe airways obstruction. Items of the dyspnoea dimension are less reliable and should not be included in the overall score of the CRQ in comparative research.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

PURPOSE: Learning contracts and reflective diaries are educational tools that have been recently introduced to physiotherapy students from Malaysia during clinical education. It is unclear how students perceive the experience of using a learning contract and reflective diary. This study explores the learning pathways of the students after using a learning contract and a reflective diary for the first time in their clinical placement. METHODS: A total of 26 final-year physiotherapy students completed a learning contract and a reflective diary during clinical placements. Two researchers explored the data qualitatively by the thematic content analysis method using NVivo. RESULTS: A total of four and six main learning themes were identified from the data of the students through a learning contract and reflective diary. CONCLUSION: These learning themes reflected the views of the students about what they have considered to be important learning pathways during their clinical placements. They give valuable insights into the experiences and opinions of students during their clinical education process, which should be useful for enhancing teaching and learning methods in physiotherapy education.
Education ; Humans ; Learning* ; Malaysia ; Methods