An Analysis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection-Related Characteristics of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients with and without Inhaler Training: A Case–Control Study

OBJECTIVE: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are among the most risky groups for Coronavirus Disease 2019. The study was conducted with a case–control group design in order to determine the coronavirus disease 2019 infection-related characteristics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with and without inhaler training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 106 patients, being case group (n = 53) and control group (n = 53), were included in the study sample through purposive and simple random sampling methods. While the control group did not receive training, the case group received inhaler training in 2017-2018. Inhaler training was conducted face-to-face using the demonstration method. Patients were evaluated according to their coronavirus disease 2019 (approved by a physician positive polymerase chain reaction) status from the beginning of the pandemic to the time they were included in the study (June 2021). RESULTS: The rate of incorrect inhaler use was determined to be 39.6% of the patients in the control group, which is statistically different from the case group (P < .001). It was also determined that 17.9% of the patients in the study sample had contracted coronavirus disease 2019. It was found that the presence of symptoms for at least 1 month following the negative polymerase chain reaction result was significantly higher in the control group (P = .018). It was determined that the case group patients were more careful compared to the control group in terms of coronavirus disease 2019 measures (P < .031). The patients in the case group reported that inhaler medicines were also effective in protecting against other respiratory system diseases (P = .006). CONCLUSION: Few patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been infected. It was concluded that the coronavirus disease 2019 symptoms lasted longer in the control group than in the case group.