Completeness of individual characteristic data in UK pulmonary rehabilitation

Inequalities in the enrolment and completion of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) across individual characteristics persist. Accurate data collection of individual characteristics supports services to identify and address these inequalities. This study assessed the completeness of individual characteristic data in a UK National Respiratory Audit Programme dataset of 88 446 individuals assessed March 2019–September 2023. Age, gender and index of multiple deprivation quintile were consistently collected (<1% missing). Ethnicity and Medical Research Council dyspnoea score had substantially higher levels of missing data (14% and 7%, respectively). Improving data completeness may support health inequalities to be identified and addressed in PR services.