COPD patients who received peer support had lower use of diseases-related acute care settings and significantly higher self-efficacy, according to a 6-month period observational study at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (JHBMC) and Howard County General Hospital (HCGH). The findings of the study, published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society, indicated that the patients with a support system also experienced higher hope levels as compared to the patients who only used a healthcare professional (HCP) for support and self-management.