FRESH AIR International Research Programme

Background: the FRESH AIR consortium

A team of researchers from Plymouth University have been collaborating with international researchers to develop a study which address the problem of chronic lung disease in resource-poor settings. They are working alongside the International Primary care Respiratory Group and in 2015 established an International Lung Consortium in Kampala and a new Lung Institute within Makerere University. Find out more on the Plymouth University project page.

About chronic lung disease (CLD):

  • CLD affects around one in five adults in Africa.
  • It arises from respiratory infections such as tuberculosis (TB) and HIV, tobacco smoking and nutritional impairment.
  • People with CLD are prone to breathlessness, inactivity, de-conditioning, and declining health status and prognosis.
  • Patients with breathlessness related to CLD create damage to the economy through lost productivity and disability, and direct health service costs with frequent and prolonged hospital admissions.
  • CLDs are disproportionately prevalent in deprived populations and many sufferers can neither afford the drugs nor transport to medical clinics.

Free Respiratory Evaluation and Smoke-exposure reduction by primary Health cAre Integrated gRoups (FRESH AIR project)

The overall aim of the FRESH AIR consortium and this project is to improve health outcomes for people at risk of, or suffering from, non-communicable lung diseases in low-resource settings. The project aims to generate new knowledge, innovation and scalable models that enhance access to care in these settings, and to support their implementation through proactive dissemination within the four countries, regionally and internationally.

You can watch a YouTube video about the project below:

Project aims

  • To identify the specific factors that influence the implementation of evidenced-based interventions in the prevention and treatment of non-communicable lung diseases in community settings in four countries representing very different contexts: the Kyrgyz Republic, Vietnam, Uganda and Greece.
  • To explore which awareness-raising approaches are most effective in motivating behaviour change in tobacco consumption and HAP exposure and to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of HAP reduction interventions in selected communities in these countries.
  • To provide access to smoking cessation support by adapting successful evidence-based Very Brief Advice (VBA) interventions that will be delivered by healthcare workers in these countries.
  • To test the feasibility and acceptability of methods for diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using innovative spirometry – a testing method that measures how much air a patient can breathe out in one forced breath.
  • To test the feasibility and acceptability of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) – a programme of exercise, education and support to help people with breathing – as a low-cost treatment for obstructive lung disease.
  • To test how to best reduce children’s respiratory symptoms and the risk of lung damage by exploring interventions designed to raise awareness of the damaging effects of exposure to tobacco smoke and HAP during pregnancy and infancy; and to improve diagnosis and treatment of children aged under five presenting to primary care with respiratory symptoms.

    • Visit the Plymouth University project page for the latest updates.

    Related Publications

    Jones R, Kirenga B, Katagira W, Singh SJ, Pooler J, Okwera A, Kasiita R, Enki DG, Creanor S, Barton A. A pre-post intervention study of pulmonary rehabilitation for adults with post-tuberculosis lung disease in Uganda. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2017;12:3533-3539

    Collaborators

    • Rupert Jones
    • Jill Pooler
    • Andy Barton
    • Michael Hyland