Effect of health education on rehabilitation outcomes in patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 virus infection

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about severe health complications, underscoring the need for effective treatment strategies. Pulmonary rehabilitation and patient education have emerged as a crucial approach in managing SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals, significantly improving the treatment effectiveness for COVID-19 patients. This study aims to assess the impact of two models of pulmonary rehabilitation—conventional and supplemented with an education program—on respiratory function, functional capacity, and the emotional state of patients during hospitalization for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Materials and methods: This study included 70 patients hospitalized for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study group (n=35) underwent rehabilitation combined with education, while the control group (n=35) underwent rehabilitation only. The tests, conducted twice—before starting rehabilitation and on the 14th day of hospitalization—included the use of the Voldyne 5000 device to measure lung capacity, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess anxiety and depression levels, and the 'stand-up and sit-down' test to measure functional status.

Results: Lung capacity scores increased by 1792.9 ml in the study group and by 778.6 ml in the control group. The difference between the groups was statistically significant (p<0.001). The level of anxiety and depression measured by the HADS scale decreased by 15.3 points in the study group and by 6 in the control group; the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). In the functional sit-to-stand test, the number of repetitions of the task changed by 5.8 times in the study group and by 1.6 in the control group, respectively; the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001).

Conclusions: This study found that a rehabilitation program combined with health education for patients significantly improves treatment outcomes such as lung capacity, anxiety levels, and functional capacity. As a result, rehabilitation paired with health education plays a significant role for individuals infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus.