Breathing

Questions:

1. In the last 30 days, how much of a problem did [name of person/you] have because of shortness of breath when climbing a steep hill or walking for 1 km?
2. In the last 30 days, how much of a problem did [name of person/you] have because of coughing or wheezing for 5 minutes or more at a time?

Response categories:

1. None
2. Mild
3. Moderate
4. Severe
5. Extreme/Cannot Do

1. [Trish] is very active and fit. She takes aerobic classes 3 times a week and goes for strenuous hikes at high altitudes once a month. She does not get breathless or have wheezing.
   
2. [Helen] is an athlete and has been a training coach for the past 5 years. She runs 5 kilometres three times a week with her team without getting breathless.
   
3. [Norbert] has no problems with exercise such as walking for 15 minutes or climbing stairs. With more vigorous activity such as playing tennis or walking at a fast pace, he gets out of breath after 15 minutes and has to rest .
   
4. [Paul] has no problems while walking slowly. He gets out of breath easily when climbing uphill for 20 meters or a flight of stairs.
   
5. [Tom] has asthma and is on medication. He enjoys riding his bicycle twice or three times per week for two or three hours. He has attacks of wheezing once a month that go away half an hour after having an injection.
   
6. [Jeremy] coughs or wheezes whenever he walks faster than he usually does, such as when trying to catch the bus. This happens at least once every week.
   
7. [Anna] is 30kg overweight for her height. She gets out of breath easily when doing household chores or carrying the shopping. She has to stop frequently to catch her breath.
   
8. [Tania] suffers from a blocked nose and a frequent cold that leads to her breathing through her mouth. Her symptoms are decreased with medication but her work and social life are restricted.
   
9. [Dan] suffers from respiratory infections about once every year. He is short of breath 3 or 4 times a week and had to be admitted in hospital twice in the past month with a cough that required treatment with antibiotics.
   
10. [Carolina] smokes 20 cigarettes a day. When she cycles for 15 minutes she gets out of breath and has to get off her bike and walk. Whenever she smokes she coughs and has a sore throat.
    
11. [Leena] has been smoking 20 cigarettes per day for more than 20 years. She has a severe cough once or twice each day that leaves her with an ache in the chest. She gets breathless whenever she runs even 10 metres.
    
12. [Peter] is a survivor from lung cancer 5 years ago and had surgery. He works in an office which is on the 3rd floor. He is unable to walk up the stairs due to breathlessness. Occasionally he ends up coughing uncontrollably and ends up coughing blood.
    
13. [Carlos] has been a heavy smoker for 30 years and wakes up with a cough every morning. He gets short of breath even while resting and does not leave the house anymore. He often needs to be put on oxygen.
    
14. [Leila] suffers from asthma and her condition has worsened. She had to be taken to the emergency ward of a hospital three times in the past month and received oxygen due to her wheezing.
    
15. [David] had a severe car accident two days ago and his head was injured. He is in the hospital at the emergency unit. His breathing is supported by a ventilation machine and he has no cough reflex.