Setting and sample
The sample consisted of 14 participants who had had been formally diagnosed COPD for at least one year. According to the GOLD (2009) classification of COPD (table 1), three participants were in the mild stage, seven in the moderate stage, three in the severe stage and one in the very severe stage.
Three women and eleven men participated in the study. All of the participants were taking bronchodilators, mucomyst and antibiotics. The age range of participants was 55‑81 years old with a mean of 67 years. Twelve of the participants were