Health-related experiences of adults with chronic cough: Empirical research mixed methods.
Michael Weiner, Jessica Weaver, Tayler Gowan and 9 others
PMID 36815576WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with chronic cough often could not identify a cause, found treatments only mildly helpful, and reported frustration, embarrassment, and interference with enjoyment or work.
Some valued providers who acknowledged impact, but many were unsure a cause had been found.
Key findings
01Among surveyed adults, 36% were frustrated, 32% fed up, 30% embarrassed, and 21% reported interference with work or other daily tasks all, most, or a lot of the time.
02Only 28% were satisfied or very satisfied with cough treatments, and one-third had stopped seeking further medical assistance.
03Interviewees said cough was unpredictable, they doubted providers had found a cause, and doctor-recommended and home treatments were only mildly helpful.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 41 people completed the survey and 30 were interviewed, so the results are not a population estimate. Participants were recruited from one Midwestern United States academic medical institution using records of frequent cough encounters, which may select people with more severe or more frequent cough. Telephone interviews may have favoured people more likely to be home during daytime hours. Women were the majority, and findings may not generalize to other countries or other regions of the United States. Self-reported cough history, diagnoses, treatment satisfaction, and recall may be biased. The study describes experiences and attitudes; it does not test whether any treatment works. The study was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Declared interests
Merck Sharp & Dohme funded the study. Several authors are employees or stockholders of Merck, and several received work funding through Merck.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that any chronic cough treatment works or fails. It reports patients' experiences and satisfaction from a small survey and interview study, not a test of treatment effectiveness.