Breathe Well Global Group

Leads:

• Professor Rafael Stelmach (Pulmonologist, University of São Paulo) Co-ordinator and Ambassador of Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) in Brazil and Planning Group member of Global Alliance against CRD (GARD-WHO).
• Dr Sonia Martins (Family and Community Physician) coordinator of Matrix Support Program in Respiratory Health and Smoking Program (Department of Community Health of the Faculty of Medicine of ABC (FMABC)), São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Research team:

• Dr Aldo Agra (Pulmonologist, São Bernardo do Campo).

Leads:

• Chunhua Chi (Professor, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Director, Department of General Practice, Peking University First Hospital and Executive President of Chinese Alliance for Respiratory Disease in Primary Care).
• Professor KK Cheng, Professor at the University of Birmingham since 1995. He is also Director of the General Practice Development and Research Center, Peking University Health Science Center. His main interests are in the epidemiology, prevention and control of important non-communicable diseases, and the development of primary care in China.

Research team:

• Dr Zihan Pan (Resident of General Practice in Peking University First Hospital); Dr Xia Kong (Research Fellow on Breathe Well, Health Management Centre, Peking University First Hospital).

Leads:

• Dr Radmila Ristovska (GP researcher, Centre for Family Medicine, Medical Faculty, Skopje).
• Professor Katarina Stavrikj (GP researcher, Centre for Family Medicine, Medical Faculty, Skopje).

Leads:

• Dr Mariam Maglakelidze (Consultant, Environmental Health, National Centre for Disease Control and Public Health).
• Professor Tamaz Maglakelidze (Head of Pulmonology, Department of G.Chapidze, Emergency Cardiology Center in Georgia and President of Georgian Respiratory Association).
• Dr Nino Magladkelidze (Head of Tobacco Control Unit at the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia. European Regional Coordinator for World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC)).

• Siân Williams, Executive Officer.
• Assistant Professor Jaime Correia de Sousa (Associate Professor and Chair of the Community Health Department in the School of Medicine at the University of Minho, Portugal). Family physician in Porto and is former Chair of the Portuguese Primary Care Respiratory Group. Jaime is also past President of the International Primary Care Respiratory Group.

1. D'Elia, A, Jordan, RE, Cheng, KK, et al. COPD burden and healthcare management across four middle income countries within the Breathe Well research programme: a descriptive study. Global Health Research 2024. https://doi.org/10.3310/WKVR4250
2. Martins, SM, Adams, R, Rodrigues, EM, et al. Living with COPD and its psychological effects on participating in community-based physical activity in Brazil: a qualitative study. Findings from the Breathe Well group. NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine 2024;34:33. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-024-00386-7
3. Dickens, AP, Gale, N, Adab, P, et al. Development and application of a rapid research prioritisation process for identifying health research priorities in low- and middle-income countries: the RAPID-RP stakeholder analysis. Global Health Research 2024. https://doi.org/10.3310/CTHF1385
4. Williams, S, Fernandes, G, Adab, P, et al. Strengthening clinician-researchers’ communication and knowledge translation skills: An innovative game model from the Breathe Well group. INQUIRY: The Journal of Health Care Organization, Provision, and Financing 2024;61. https://doi.org/10.1177/00469580241273178
5. Fernandes, G, Williams, S, Adab, P, et al. Engaging stakeholders to level up COPD care in LMICs: lessons learned from the “Breathe Well” programme in Brazil, China, Georgia, and North Macedonia. BMC Health Services Research 2024;24:66. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10525-4
6. Gjorgjievski, D, Stavrikj, K, Jordan, R, et al. Randomised controlled trial testing effectiveness of feedback about lung age or exhaled CO combined with very brief advice for smoking cessation compared to very brief advice alone in North Macedonia: findings from the Breathe Well group. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:1887. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-16644-1
7. Maglakelidze M, Kurua I, Maglakelidze N, et al. Feasibility of a pulmonary rehabilitation programme for patients with symptomatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Georgia: a single site, randomized controlled trial from the Breathe Well Group. BMJ Open2022;12: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-056902
8. Pang H, Pan Z, Adams R, et al. Community lung health service design for COPD patients in China by the Breathe Well group. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2022; 32:27. doi: 10.1038/s41533-022-00286-8.
9. Martins SM, Dickens A, Salibe-Filho W, et al. Accuracy and economic evaluation of different screening tests and their combinations for undiagnosed COPD among people with hypertension in Brazil. NPJ Primary Care Respiratory Medicine 2022; 32:55. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-022-00303-w
10. Riley, M, Swann, A, Morris, AJ, et al. Knowledge, attitudes and practices of patients and healthcare professionals regarding oral health and COPD in São Paulo, Brazil: a qualitative study. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 2021; 31(1):20. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41533-021-00235-x
11. Pan Z, Dickens AP, Chi C, et al. Accuracy and cost-effectiveness of different screening strategies for identifying undiagnosed COPD among primary care patients (≥40 years) in China: a cross-sectional screening test accuracy study: findings from the Breathe Well group. BMJ Open 2021;11:e051811. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051811
12. Pan, Z, Dickens, A, Chi, C, et al. Study to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different screening strategies for identifying undiagnosed COPD amongst residents (≥40 years) in four cities in China: protocol for a multicenter cross-sectional study. On behalf of the Breathe Well group. BMJ Open 2020;10: e035738. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-035738