According to a recent study, psychological factors can influence the health-related quality of life for patients with COPD.
To explore the role of psychological factors on HRQL and disability, in the study titled “Psychological predictors for health-related quality of life and disability in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),” Mewes and colleagues administered an online survey to 502 individuals with a diagnosis of COPD.
The mean age of the participants was 59.7 years, and the majority had severe COPD as rated by the Global Initiative on Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) staging (Stage I = 3% of enrolled patients; Stage II = 17%; Stage III = 34%; Stage IV = 46%).
As part of the survey, the participants completed the COPD Assessment Test, the SF-12, Patient Health Questionnaire, and the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, which evaluates beliefs about illness and health.
The investigators found high variances in questionnaire responses, with mental health-related quality of life showing the highest variance at 63% (disability comprised 56%, and physical HRQL comprised 28%). The results further revealed that better mental health, more optimistic illness perceptions, attribution to psychological causes, and a stronger internal locus of control were associated with lower disability and improved HRQL.
