{
  "abstract": "Introduction Effective management of chronic breathlessness requires understanding people’s activity limitations. This study evaluated the extent to which chronic breathlessness limits people’s self-reported everyday activities.Methods A web-based, cross-sectional survey (adults ≥18 years). Recruitment was through a marketing research company, stratified to the 2016 Australian Census for key demographics (age, sex, state/territory of residence, rurality). Self-reported measures included demographics, breathlessness limiting exertion (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) breathlessness scale) and breathlessness impact (yes/no question; three most important activities affected). Impact was categorised as performing with difficulty/reduced/ceased.Results 7300 respondents were included (mean age 46.5 (SD 18.6); men 50.8%; mMRC ≥1 290.0%). 30.6% (648/2119) with mMRC ≥1 versus 2.6% (136/5181; p<0.001) with mMRC 0 reported activities affected; the proportions increased for each mMRC level.2342 activities were nominated with the most frequent being: high intensity sport, household chores and mobility. The order changed for mMRC 2 (household chores>high intensity sports>mobility) and mMRC 3–4 (mobility>household chores>high intensity sports). Breathlessness increased the likelihood of activities being reduced or ceased.In a logistic regression model exploring the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule, controlling for baseline factors, most affected domains were getting along (OR 2.5 (95% CI 1.5 to 4.2)), life activities (OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.2 to 2.7)) and participation (OR 6.4 (95% CI 4.2 to 9.9)).Conclusion Chronic breathlessness of every intensity above mMRC 0 affects people’s ability to perform a range of everyday activities. The progressive loss of these activities is a key coping mechanism to avoid precipitating breathlessness and is mostly invisible to other people.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia",
        "IMPACCT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Slavica Kochovska"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "IMPACCT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Sungwon Chang"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Diana Ferreira"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Vanessa Brunelli"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Science Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Jessica Macdonald"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Physiotherapy Department, Wollongong Hospital, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Hiu San"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine, Allergology and Palliative Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden"
      ],
      "name": "Max Olsson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine, Allergology and Palliative Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden",
        "Jämjö Vårdcentral, Lund University Faculty of Medicine, Lund, Skåne County, Sweden"
      ],
      "name": "Jacob Sandberg"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "IMPACCT, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "Tim Luckett"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Wolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, University of Hull, Hull, UK"
      ],
      "name": "Miriam J Johnson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Respiratory Medicine, Allergology and Palliative Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden"
      ],
      "name": "Magnus Ekström"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia"
      ],
      "name": "David Currow"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Diminishing activities of daily living as severity of chronic breathlessness worsens: a national, cross-sectional survey",
  "uid": "0000e733-1f04-59f0-b44f-55e943e5e123"
}