TY - JOUR T1 - The patient perspective on challenges to participating in pulmonary rehabilitation: An international web-based survey JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J DO - 10.1183/13993003.congress-2015.PA558 VL - 46 IS - suppl 59 SP - PA558 AU - Sarah Masefield AU - Pippa Powell AU - Carolyn Rochester AU - Giannis Vogiatzis Y1 - 2015/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA558.abstract N2 - The European Lung Foundation (ELF) worked with the European Respiratory Society (ERS)–American Thoracic Society (ATS) Task Force to seek patients' input in an Official Policy Statement on Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) currently being developed.Aims: To learn patients' perspectives on PR, and identify challenges faced by patients who have taken part in PR and those who might be eligible but have not had the opportunity.ELF, Task Force Co-chairs and a patient with PR experience developed a mixed-methods survey. It was disseminated via ELF/ERS and ATS PAR professional and patient networks to patients with a wide range of chronic lung diseases. The survey was online from July-November 2014 in 10 languages.Responses from 1686 people in 29 countries were included in the analysis. 73% of respondents were female, 31% were aged 51-60, 52% had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 48% had other chronic lung diseases. 93% of respondents thought that PR should be a part of healthcare services available to all patients that might benefit, yet 46% of respondents had never taken part in a PR programme. 35% of respondents reported that they did not experience any challenges to taking part in PR. However the greatest issue for those that had, was not having heard of PR (24%). Other challenges: not having enough information to decide to participate (11%), not sure if PR would help (10%), no local PR (9%), and PR not covered by insurance (6%).People with chronic lung diseases worldwide want to learn about and be able to participate in PR, yet are often unaware of it, its benefits, or lack access to it. Also PR services that do not focus solely on COPD are needed. ER -