Abstract: Objective To explore the significance of health education for patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in community-based rehabilitation based on the previous research. Methods 46 patients with stable COPD recruited in Implementation and Management of COPD Community Rehabilitation Program (23 patients from the intervention group and 23 from the control group) were followed up with telephone twice in October 2013 and January 2014, with the Bristol COPD Knowledge Questionnaire (BCKQ), modified Borg Scale, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and COPD Assessment Test (CAT). Individual health education was given once in the first follow-up in October 2013. Results In the follow-up in October 2013, scores of each assessment were worse in the intervention group (P<0.05). There was no longer statistical significance between the intervention group and the control group (P>0.05) in all the assessments except the mental status (SAS, SDS). But the cases with higher education level in the intervention group were not worse too much (P>0.05). In the follow-up in January 2014, the scores of each assessment improved in the intervention group (P< 0.01) and the control group (P<0.05). There was statistical significance between the intervention group and the control group again in the scores of BCKQ, modified Borg Scale and CAT (P<0.05). Conclusion The benefit from community-based rehabilitation can be reversible for patients with stable COPD. Health education with telephone in follow-up can improve the patients' awareness of disease, reduce dyspnea, and improve their mental status and quality of life.

Key words: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, health education, follow-up, community-based rehabilitation