Air Travel for Subjects Receiving Long-Term Oxygen Therapy.
BACKGROUND
Ambulatory oxygen (O2) is the recommended treatment for hypoxemia at rest or induced by exercise. Commercial aircraft often fly at altitudes of 30,000 feet; their cabins are pressurized to altitudes of 6,000-8,000 feet, with an equivalent FIO of 0.15. O2 supplementation, for those receiving baseline ambulatory O2, is paramount.


METHODS
We gathered information on subjects' experience traveling with supplementary oxygen and reasons individuals receiving O2 do not travel. Subjects were identified using a home oxygen database. Data were gathered by postal questionnaire. The objective of this study was to gather information relevant to subjects' experience organizing travel with supplementary oxygen and their experience of traveling itself.


RESULTS
Between 2013 and 2015, 512 patients were entered into the database: 277 were excluded (269 had died, 8 had incomplete records). We sent 235 questionnaires, and 50 responses were received (21% response rate). Of these, 11 (22%) were returned as the patient had died, 20 (40%) had not traveled by air, 11 (22%) had flown with O2, 4 (8%) no longer used O2, and 4 (8%) forms were incomplete. Of those who traveled with O2, 54% found it complicated to organize their trip, 72% found it complicated to access information, and 81% would fly again. Regarding those who had never flown with O2, 35% were unaware that O2 was available on commercial aircraft, 30% had no wish to travel, and 30% had worries regarding their health.


CONCLUSIONS
Air travel is challenging; however, those who did travel reported a mainly positive experience. Increasing available information on options for travel should help individuals.
['Campbell|Christina D|CD|', 'Smyth|Matthew W|MW|', 'Brown|Lindsay|L|', 'Kelly|Emer|E|']
D000337:Aerospace Medicine D000368:Aged D000369:Aged, 80 and over D064870:Air Travel D054626:Consumer Health Information D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice D006801:Humans D000860:Hypoxia D008875:Middle Aged D010100:Oxygen D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy D017060:Patient Satisfaction D012648:Self Care D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D013997:Time Factors
air travel oxygen COPD