Chronic breathlessness is a distressing symptom that affects people’s quality of life, compromising their functionality, and leading to increased anxiety and depression. People with chronic breathlessness progressively limit their everyday activities to minimise or avoid being breathless. This leads to a spiral of progressive deconditioning, which, in turn, further worsens the symptom.
The impact of chronic breathlessness is often under-reported by patients and caregivers and under-recognised by clinicians during consultations. Population surveys can identify the impact of this debilitating symptom on people in the community, independently of their contact with healthcare services.
This study aims to identify the link between chronic breathlessness and its impact on aspects of quality of life including physical, psychosocial, social, family, and environmental.
The study, which will involve 10,000 Australians, will help us to understand the prevalence, predictors, and impact of chronic breathlessness in the community. The outcomes of the study will help us to develop more effective symptom assessment strategies and clinical care that meets people’s needs, values, and preferences.
The Chief Investigator for this study is Dr Slavica Kochovska, PaCCSC Postdoctoral Research Fellow. The study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Technology Sydney, in collaboration with researchers from The University of Sydney and Flinders University (Australia), University of Hull (United Kingdom), and Lund University (Sweden).
The study is being funded by a Faculty of Health Seed Funding Grant, University of Technology Sydney. If you have any questions about this research, please email paccsc@uts.edu.au .
