| Europe | North America | p-value | |
| Subjects n | 188 | 187 | |
| Setting | |||
| Outpatient | 48.9 | 71.7 | <0.001 |
| Inpatient | 16.0 | 3.7 | |
| Both | 29.3 | 23.0 | |
| Other | 5.8 | 1.6 | |
| Types of reimbursement# | |||
| Own insurance | 38.3 | 92.5 | <0.001 |
| Government | 62.8 | 38.5 | <0.001 |
| Own money | 10.6 | 43.3 | <0.001 |
| Work insurance | 3.7 | 19.3 | <0.001 |
| Not funded | 2.7 | 0.5 | 0.22 |
| Other | 0.5 | 0.50 | |
| Pulmonary rehabilitation team members¶ | |||
| Chest physician | 87.8 | 62.0 | <0.001 |
| Physiotherapist | 95.2 | 17.1 | <0.001 |
| Occupational therapist | 36.2 | 17.1 | <0.001 |
| Social worker | 42.6 | 24.1 | <0.001 |
| Psychologist | 53.7 | 8.6 | <0.001 |
| Dietician | 76.1 | 93.5 | <0.001 |
| Exercise physiologist | 25.5 | 62.6 | <0.001 |
| Internist | 11.7 | 8.0 | 0.30 |
| Cardiologist | 43.0 | 20.0 | <0.001 |
| General practitioner | 18.1 | 13.4 | 0.26 |
| Pharmacist | 22.9 | 18.2 | 0.31 |
| Nurse | 68.1 | 64.2 | 0.45 |
| Respiratory therapist | 1.6 | 59.9 | <0.001 |
| Number of team members | 6 (4–8) | 4 (3–6) | <0.001 |
| Referral sites# | |||
| Chest physicians | 96.8 | 95.7 | 0.60 |
| General practitioners | 55.9 | 92.5 | <0.001 |
| Self-referral | 21.3 | 33.7 | 0.008 |
| Specialist respiratory nurse | 12.2 | 3.7 | 0.001 |
| Cardiologist | 1.1 | 9.1 | <0.001 |
| Median number of individuals per pulmonary rehabilitation programme+ | 76 to 105 | 46 to 75 | <0.001 |
| Estimated total pulmonary rehabilitation enrolments in 2011 n | 19 515 | 11 475 | <0.001 |
| Median percentage of pulmonary rehabilitation completers | 76 to 90 | 61 to 75 | <0.001 |
| Case mix# | |||
| Stable COPD | 95.7 | 98.9 | 0.11 |
| Unstable COPD | 74.5 | 75.9 | 0.81 |
| Restrictive lung disease§ | 66.5 | 82.4 | 0.001 |
| Asthma | 63.3 | 82.9 | <0.001 |
| Post-thoracic surgery | 61.7 | 85.0 | <0.001 |
| Length of pulmonary rehabilitation programme weeks | 8 (5.6–12) | 11 (8–12) | <0.001 |
| Number of pulmonary rehabilitation sessions per week | 2.5 (2–4) | 2.5 (2–3) | 0.005 |
| Duration of pulmonary rehabilitation session h | 2 (1.3–2) | 1.5 (1–1.5) | <0.001 |
| Total pulmonary rehabilitation hƒ | 39.3 (25.0–62.5) | 36 (30–48) | 0.33 |
| Most important outcomes# | |||
| Quality of life | 81.4 | 83.4 | 0.68 |
| 6-min walk test | 33.0 | 53.5 | <0.001 |
| Dyspnoea | 48.4 | 35.8 | 0.016 |
| Depression | 3.2 | 9.1 | 0.019 |
| Physical activity | 33.5 | 21.9 | 0.02 |
| Self-management skills | 33.5 | 30.5 | 0.58 |
| Smoking cessation | 5.9 | 16.0 | 0.002 |
| Activities of daily living | 28.7 | 36.4 | 0.12 |
| Interventions# | |||
| Outdoor walking | 43.6 | 5.9 | <0.001 |
| Treadmill walking | 68.6 | 97.9 | <0.001 |
| Stationary cycling | 89.4 | 97.3 | 0.003 |
| Resistance training using training apparatus | 62.8 | 67.9 | 0.33 |
| Resistance training using handheld weights | 71.3 | 93.6 | <0.001 |
| Education | 89.9 | 98.9 | <0.001 |
| ECT/ADL training | 64.9 | 94.7 | <0.001 |
| Self-management training | 75.5 | 85.0 | <0.001 |
| Nutritional support | 76.1 | 93.6 | <0.001 |
| Inspiratory muscle training | 54.8 | 49.7 | 0.35 |
| Neuromuscular electrical stimulation | 29.3 | 1.6 | <0.001 |
| Breathing exercise including PLB | 86.7 | 97.9 | <0.001 |
| Smoking cessation | 76.6 | 83.4 | 0.12 |
| Psychosocial support | 64.9 | 81.8 | <0.001 |
| Number of types of interventions | 10 (8–12) | 11 (10–12) | 0.0041 |
Data are presented as % of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes or median (interquartile range), unless otherwise stated. COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ECT: energy conservation techniques; ADL: activities of daily life; PLB: pursed lips breathing. #: sum of proportions exceeds 100% as respondents were allowed or asked to choose more than one option; ¶: pulmonary rehabilitation team members with a prevalence of ≥10% in one or both continents; +: 50% of the programmes enrolled 76 to 105 patients (Europe) or 46 to 75 patients (North America) or more in 2011; §: always including interstitial lung disease and sometimes including thoracic wall diseases; ƒ:weeks × sessions × time per session.