Pulmonary Rehabilitation Outcomes According to Employment Status in Individuals with COPD: A Prospective Exploratory Study

Background and Purpose: As the workforce ages, facilitating the integration of medical care and occupational activities is a key concern for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Although dyspnea is associated with reduced work productivity, the relationship between employment status and the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation remains unclear. This study examined whether changes in exercise capacity and dyspnea following pulmonary rehabilitation differed according to employment status in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Methods

This exploratory prospective cohort study included 34 individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who participated in a 3-month outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program. Participants were classified as employed (n = 6) or unemployed (n = 28). To evaluate changes following pulmonary rehabilitation, a two-way repeated-measures analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed. Time (pre- and post-intervention) was treated as a within-subject factor, while employment status served as a between-subject factor, with age incorporated as a covariate. The primary endpoints were functional exercise capacity, evaluated using the 6 min walk distance, and dyspnea severity, assessed using the modified Medical Research Council scale.