The patient data were collected using the face-to-face
interview technique. Information related to the study objective and the adaptation education programme was provided during the individual interview. The COPD patients received patient education in an ad hoc, noiseless room of the chest disease outpatient clinics; their questions were answered after they had received the educational booklet and an explanation of its contents. The educational session was repeated 1 month later at a scheduled one-on-one interview, during which time explanations were provided on subjects requested by the participants. Participants were reached by phone 2 months after the first meeting to ask if they had any additional questions and to schedule a date for the closing tests. The final testing took place 3 months
after the baseline determination in the intervention group
participants.