Background
Methods
Study design
Study population
Measurements
Statistics
Results
General characteristics
Patients with COPD (n = 194) | Resident proxies (n = 194) |
p-value | |
---|---|---|---|
Male, n (%) | 102 (52.6%) | 87 (44.8%) | 0.128 |
Age (years), mean (SD)a
| 66.0 (8.7) | 64.8 (9.7) | 0.329 |
Relationship, n (%) | 0.801 | ||
- Married or partners | 191 (98.5%) | 191 (98.5%) | |
- Parent/child | 3 (1.5%) | 3 (1.5%) | |
Years living together, mean (SD) | 37 (14) | 37 (14) | 0.877 |
Tiffeneau Index <70%, n (%) | 194 (100%) | 56 (29.5%)†
| <0.001 |
FEV1 (% predicted), mean (SD)a
| 47.2 (17.8) | 104.1 (25.6)†
| <0.001 |
Charlson comorbidity index, mean (SD)a
| 2.3 (1.4) | 1.2 (1.6) | <0.001 |
Current smoker, n (%) | 33 (17.0%) | 63 (32.5%) | <0.001 |
Short Blessed Test (points), mean (SD) | 1.6 (2.1) | 1.3 (3.0) | 0.150 |
Level of education, n (%) | 0.671 | ||
- Intermediate vocational education or lower | 166 (85.6%) | 163 (84.0%) | |
- Secondary general education or higher | 28 (14.4%) | 31 (16.0%) | |
Working situation, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
- Paid job | 17 (8.8%) | 40 (20.6%) | |
- Retired | 97 (50.0%) | 78 (40.2%) | |
- Household work | 23 (11.9%) | 45 (23.2%) | |
- Unable to work | 46 (23.7%) | 18 (9.3%) | |
- Other (volunteer, or unemployed) | 11 (5.7%) | 13 (6.7%) | |
Receiving care in past 6 months | <0.001 | ||
- Informal care, n (%) | 32 (16.5%) | 3 (1.5%) | |
- Care from professional, n (%) | 40 (20.6%) | 5 (2.6%) | |
Participated in a rehabilitation program, n (%) | <0.001 | ||
- Pulmonary rehabilitation | 84 (43.3%) | 7 (3.6%) | |
- Other rehabilitation program | 24 (12.4%) | 23 (11.9%) |
COPD and health related knowledge
Patients with COPD (n = 194) | Resident proxies (n = 194) |
p-value | |
---|---|---|---|
Knowledge statements | |||
- Correct answers, mean (SD) | 21.6 (4.9) | 20.9 (5.4)†
| 0.208 |
- Incorrect answers, mean (SD) | 5.9 (2.5) | 6.3 (2.5)†
| 0.130 |
- ‘Do not know’, mean (SD)a
| 6.5 (4.9) | 6.6 (5.4)†
| 0.899 |
Patients who attended PR (n = 84) | Patients who did not attend PR (n = 110) |
p-value | |
---|---|---|---|
Knowledge statements | |||
- Correct answers, mean (SD) | 23.5 (4.3) | 20.0 (4.8) | <0.001 |
- Incorrect answers, mean (SD) | 5.7 (2.6) | 6.1 (2.4) | 0.337 |
- ‘Do not know’, mean (SD) | 4.7 (4.2) | 7.9 (5.0) | <0.001 |
Patients with COPD GOLD grade II (n = 93) | Patients with COPD GOLD grade III (n = 62) | Patients with COPD GOLD grade IV (n = 39) |
p-value | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Knowledge statements | ||||
• Correct answers, mean (SD)a
| 19.4 (5.5)†
| 20.4 (5.0) | 25.2 (3.3) | 0.006 |
• Incorrect answers, mean (SD) | 6.2 (2.5) | 6.8 (2.6) | 5.8 (2.0) | 0.767 |
• ‘Do not know’, mean (SD)a
| 8.4 (6.1)†
| 6.3 (4.3) | 3.1 (2.8) | 0.006 |
Pulmonary rehabilitation | ||||
• Patients who attended PR, n (%) | 24 (25.8%)†,‡
| 33 (53.2%) | 27 (69.2%) | <0.001 |
Model | Predictors | Unstandardized Beta |
p-value |
---|---|---|---|
Number of correct statements | Attended pulmonary rehabilitation | 3.101 | <0.001 |
Cognitive functioning (SBT), points | −0.536 | <0.001 | |
R2 = 0.330 | Age, years | −0.123 | 0.001 |
Level of education | 0.846 | <0.001 | |
Years since diagnosis COPD | 0.135 | 0.002 |
Correct answers | Incorrect answers | ‘Do not know’ | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patients with COPD | Resident proxies | Patients with COPD | Resident proxies | Patients with COPD | Resident proxies |
p-value | |
COPD in general
| |||||||
1. COPD means Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. (T)
| 86.1% | 82.4% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 11.3% | 15.0% | 0.561 |
2. The amount of air that can be blown out quickly (the FEV
1
) is reduced in people with COPD. (T)
| 59.3% | 51.8% | 3.1% | 2.6% | 37.6% | 45.6% | 0.282 |
3. Smoking is the most important cause of COPD. (T)
| 80.4% | 77.7% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 8.2% | 11.4% | 0.581 |
4. Everyone who has COPD is eligible for lung transplantation. (F)
| 53.1% | 59.6% | 4.6% | 3.6% | 42.3% | 36.8% | 0.428 |
Living with COPD
| |||||||
5. Anxiety and sadness have a negative influence on the quality of life of people with COPD. (T)
| 63.4% | 68.4% | 16.0% | 10.9% | 20.6% | 20.7% | 0.327 |
6. Support and understanding for my lung disease from people in my home environment (for example: partner, children and friends) is important. (T)
| 94.8% | 96.9% | 1.0% | 0.5% | 4.1% | 2.6% | 0.592 |
7. A lung patient who attends the psychologist during pulmonary rehabilitation is insane. (F)
| 67.5% | 68.9% | 4.6% | 5.7% | 27.8% | 25.4% | 0.796 |
Functioning with COPD
| |||||||
8. My lung function determines which activities I will be able to do at home. (F)
| 17.0% | 7.8% | 71.1% | 82.4% | 11.9% | 9.8% | 0.013 |
9. A rollator could help a person with COPD to walk further. (T)
| 69.6% | 59.6% | 9.8% | 19.7% | 20.6% | 20.7% | 0.019 |
10. During strenuous exercise (like climbing 2 stairs) it is better to rest once for a long time than several times for short periods. (F)
| 36.1% | 29.0% | 38.7% | 47.2% | 25.3% | 23.8% | 0.203 |
11. Leaning forward and bracing with my arms can help to reduce breathlessness. (T)
| 32.5% | 28.0% | 38.7% | 36.3% | 28.9% | 35.8% | 0.331 |
12. When I lift a heavy shopping bag I should try to breathe out. (T)
| 54.6% | 54.4% | 20.6% | 23.8% | 24.7% | 21.8% | 0.663 |
COPD and medication
| |||||||
13. The spacers of puffers should be wiped dry after rinsing. (F)
| 62.4%* | 49.2% | 20.6% | 21.8% | 17.0%* | 29.0% | 0.010 |
14. Shaky hands are a possible side effect of bronchodilators. (T)
| 38.1% | 35.8% | 15.5% | 6.7% | 46.4% | 57.5% | 0.011 |
15. I will reduce the risk of getting a chest infection by using my lung medication (“puffers”) correctly. (T)
| 71.6% | 68.9% | 12.4% | 14.5% | 16.0% | 16.6% | 0.797 |
Lung function and oxygen
| |||||||
16. It is safe to use oxygen therapy while cooking with gas. (F)
| 58.2% | 61.7% | 4.1% | 3.6% | 37.6% | 34.7% | 0.788 |
17. My lung function will change by using long-term oxygen therapy. (F)
| 31.4% | 26.4% | 16.5% | 24.9% | 52.1% | 48.7% | 0.114 |
18. Breathlessness is always accompanied by low oxygen levels. (F)
| 24.7% | 22.3% | 62.9% | 62.7% | 12.4% | 15.0% | 0.688 |
Exercising
| |||||||
19. Exercising will improve my lung function. (F)
| 9.8% | 7.3% | 83.0% | 87.0% | 7.2% | 5.7% | 0.532 |
20. After pulmonary rehabilitation I have to stay active in order to maintain my exercise tolerance. (T)
| 91.8% | 94.3% | 0.5% | 0% | 7.7% | 5.7% | 0.437 |
21. Daily exercising with my arms and shoulders will make dressing and undressing harder. (F)
| 76.3% | 66.3% | 11.9% | 15.0% | 11.9% | 18.7% | 0.082 |
22. It is better to avoid exercise because it will strain my lungs too much. (F)
| 88.7% | 77.7% | 6.7% | 12.4% | 4.6% | 9.8% | 0.015 |
Phlegm
| |||||||
23. I should contact my doctor or nurse when the colour of my phlegm changes (from white to yellow or green) and I experience more symptoms. (T)
| 88.7% | 89.1% | 1.0% | 0.5% | 10.3% | 10.4% | 0.848 |
24. Phlegm is harmful when swallowed. (F)
| 43.8% | 48.2% | 21.1% | 22.8% | 35.1% | 29.0% | 0.444 |
General health
| |||||||
25. A “chronic disease” means a disease which heals well. (F)
| 83.5% | 86.5% | 9.3% | 6.2% | 7.2% | 7.3% | 0.529 |
26. Daily intake of 2 pieces of fruit is recommended. However, 1 piece of fruit may be replaced by 1 glass of orange juice. (T)
| 52.6% | 59.9%†
| 21.1% | 20.8%†
| 26.3% | 19.3%†
| 0.222 |
27. I can improve my exercise tolerance by strength training. (T)
| 89.7% | 88.1% | 3.1% | 1.6% | 7.2% | 10.4% | 0.349 |
28. Fresh vegetables are better for my health than frozen or canned vegetables. (F)
| 38.7% | 35.8% | 51.5% | 57.0% | 9.8% | 7.3% | 0.477 |
29. Regular exercises and the intake of milk products will reduce the risk for osteoporosis. (T)
| 79.4%* | 90.7% | 5.7% | 1.6% | 14.9% | 7.8% | 0.006 |
30. Stopping smoking reduces the risk of heart disease. (T)
| 93.3% | 91.2% | 1.5% | 3.6% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 0.434 |
31. Fat is the most important nutrient to build up muscles. (F)
| 51.5% | 58.0% | 15.5% | 14.5% | 33.0% | 27.5% | 0.411 |
32. When being overweight you have an increased risk for lifestyle diseases, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. (T)
| 91.8% | 93.3% | 1.0% | 3.1% | 7.2% | 3.6% | 0.114 |
33. Osteoporosis increases the risk of breaking my hip. (T)
| 90.7% | 92.7% | 1.5% | 0.5% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 0.558 |
34. ‘Self-management’ means that I do not have to visit a doctor. (F)
| 83.5% | 72.0% | 3.1% | 5.7% | 13.4% | 22.3% | 0.025 |