Grant: DRA : Canada Graduate Research Scholarship - Doctoral Program (CGRS D)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) affects about 10% of Canadians and nearly 1 in 5 people over 70. Most people with COPD experience "lung attacks"-episodes where breathing becomes difficult. Preventing these attacks is a major goal of COPD care but predicting them has been difficult. Recent research shows that digital health technologies, which combine patient information such as age and smoking history, can help estimate when lung attacks are likely to occur. However, using these tools during routine clinic visits may require extra time and effort from doctors. It is therefore important to understand whether the benefits outweigh the challenges. My project is part of a clinical trial testing an algorithm that provides individual risk estimates for lung attacks in COPD patients in British Columbia (BC). To support this work, I first examined differences in COPD burden and care across BC's health regions. I am also using advanced analytical techniques to project future hospital admissions due to lung attacks. In addition, I will conduct group discussions with doctors to understand their experiences of using tool. Interviews with patients will explore how the shared decision-making and experiences of care under the trial affected their ability to manage their disease. Finally, by linking these findings with individual patient data from the clinical trial, I will evaluate both the costs and benefits of using the algorithm. These studies can help patients better understand their disease, feel more confident in their treatment, and take medications more regularly. It also helps doctors to prescribe medicines in line with best-practice guidelines. For policymakers, the findings could offer new insights into the current and future burden of COPD and guide decisions on whether personalized technologies should be implemented in hospitals and clinics across BC and Canada..