Résumé
Context. The French National Authority for Health has identified three priorities to improve the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): strengthening early detection, preventing hospitalisation, and structuring care pathways. A participatory action research (PAR) project was conducted in a multidisciplinary primary care practice, focusing on the implementation of a care pathway prioritising early detection. Objective. The objective was to explore the effects of this approach on participating primary care professionals. Methods. This participatory action research project was based on a knowledge mobilisation process. Key factors influencing COPD management in primary care were collaboratively synthesised and integrated into training content. Semi-structured interviews with participants were analysed using a semiopragmatic phenomenological approach. Results. Fifteen professionals participated in co-construction workshops and eleven interviews were analysed. COPD was perceived as a vague, infrequent condition with no clear clinical follow-up indicators. The main impact of the action research was a strengthened professional engagement around COPD, through (1) the appropriation of spirometry, initiating a screening approach that was well received but required further training; (2) reflection on professional identity, reinforcing individual commitment and clarifying task distribution; and (3) the development of a team-based work culture and clarification of the care pathway. Screening became an entry point to improved interprofessional coordination. Conclusion. This action research project enhanced professional engagement around an under-prioritised condition. It highlights the value of participatory approaches to support practice transformation, foster inter-professional coordination, and anchor practical tools in primary care.