Introduction: There is high COPD mortality in economically deprived areas of Rajasthan and no existing PR programmes.

Aim: To determine the feasibility of screening and recruiting people with COPD to a community-based PR program in an economically deprived area of Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Methods: Door-to-door surveys were conducted to find people with suspected chronic respiratory diseases, followed by a spirometry-based diagnosis of COPD. Barriers and challenges in screening and recruiting to PR were documented based on the responses of the patients, their family members, community stakeholders, and field research staff.

Results: Out of 1819 households, 191 suspected cases were identified (10.5%). Of these, 106 (55%) attended for spirometry, 78 (41%) could perform it, and 15 (19% of spirometry; 1% of screened) were diagnosed with COPD. Out of these, 9 came for baseline assessment (60% of diagnosed; 0.5% of screened), 6 were enrolled in the PR programme (67% enrolled; 0.3% screened), and 2 completed PR (22% enrolled; 0.1% screened). Key barriers to PR completion included timing issues, co-morbidities, and non-acceptance of PR. Challenges to PR acceptance included Covid-19 stigma/fear, poor compliance with spirometry, lack of understanding of PR, fear of losing wages, lack of family support, and preference for medication over PR.

Conclusions: Building trust, sensitization of the patients, and education regarding the need for non-pharmaceutical self-management may help overcome these barriers in implementing a PR programme in such an economically deprived area.