About Respiratory Disease
About Help BEAT Respiratory Disease
Help BEAT Respiratory Disease is a dedicated campaign supporting people to take part in research looking to discover new ways to prevent, diagnose and manage different kinds of respiratory disease.
Registering with Research for the Future means you will receive information about opportunities to take part in research.
The process is easy. We will ask you for your contact details, some questions about your general health, what respiratory condition you have and whether you have any allergies.
About respiratory disease
Respiratory disease is an umbrella name for a range of diseases and disorders that affect the airways and other structures of the lungs. They can be caused by infection, smoking tobacco, breathing in second-hand smoke, or other forms of air pollution.
Some respiratory illnesses can be self-limiting, such as the common cold or influenza (flu). Others can be chronic or long-term such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and bronchiectasis.
It has been estimated that more than 12 million people in the UK have a history of longstanding respiratory illness.
Taking part
Taking part in research means you will be helping to improve health and care for future generations as well as helping researchers:
- better understand the causes of a range of respiratory illnesses and how to prevent and diagnose them
- identify effective vaccines and treatments, such as drugs or rehabilitation programmes
- develop new services to support people living with COPD and asthma
- understand why some groups of people are at greater risk of developing respiratory illnesses.
There are lots of different types of research and ways you can take part, including:
- completing a survey or questionnaire
- being part of a discussion group
- testing a smartphone app, online system or activity tracker
- trialling a support programme helping people to better manage symptoms
- being part of a clinical trial testing new and existing medications.
We use the information you provide as part of the registration process to inform you about suitable opportunities as they arise along with details of how you can take part. It is always your decision whether to take part in anything we tell you about. If at any time you change your mind and no longer want to receive information, let us know.
Any information you provide is stored on a secure NHS database. It will never be shared with anyone else. For more information about how we store and protect your personal information, see our ‘Privacy notice’
Partner
We are delighted that Asthma + Lung UK (formerly the British Lung Foundation) has partnered with us to promote the Help BEAT Respiratory Disease campaign.
Asthma + Lung UK has been leading research into all lung conditions for more than 30 years. Research remains at the heart of the charity as they fight for a world where everyone can breathe freely.
Health and advice
If you have a health concern, please contact your GP for advice and treatment.
The NHS 111 service is available to make it easier and quicker for people to get the right advice or treatment they need, be that for their physical or mental health. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Online at nhs.uk
- Call 111 for free from a landline or mobile phone
The best sources of up-to-date accurate health information about respiratory conditions, tests and treatments:
- NHS website
- Asthma + Lung UK website
Current studies
ASSIST
This study is investigating a new digital tool to help people improve their inhaler technique and help with treatment of asthma.
OptiMuscle
Developing new treatments using digital technologies to understand what happens when someone breathes.
DART lung health
Establishing an advisory group for a study developing the use of artificial intelligence to transform the diagnosis of lung cancer and other thoracis diseases.
ForeCAst
Assessing how well a new blood test can help determine if exposure to cats can make allergy or allergy symptoms worse.
Orchid
Understanding why people with different chest conditions develop a cough and how it compares to people without a chest condition.
How you've helped us
Medicines Evaluation Unit: COPD drug
Clinical trial testing a new treatment for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Developing a research proposal
Developing research to test a smartphone app to help people better manage their own health.
myAirCoach2 – self-management of Asthma
Developing a digital health system to help people monitor and manage their asthma.
How often do patients notice preventable problems in primary care? (Electronic Questionnaire)
Dr Jill Stocks, Research Fellow from the Greater Manchester Patient Safety Translational Research Centre, which is based at The University of Manchester’s Institute of Population Health, describes her experiences accessing the Research for the Future campaign. (Primary care includes all non-hospital healthcare such as GP surgeries, community services, walk-in clinics and pharmacies.) “Usually patient safety […]
