Perceived uncertainty, physical symptoms, and negative mood in hospitalized patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether perceived uncertainty and physical symptoms were related to negative mood in hospitalized patients with chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema.

DESIGN

Descriptive correlational.

SETTING

Five large teaching hospitals in a city in central Canada.

SUBJECTS

The sample consisted of 15 men and 11 women ranging in age from 53 to 86 years.

INSTRUMENTS

Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale; Somatic Scale of the Bronchitis Emphysema Symptom Checklist; and Tension, Depression and Anger Subscales of the Profile of Mood States.

RESULTS

Only the variable of physical symptoms contributed to the negative mood of the subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, explaining 21% of the variance (p < 0.02). Of the four symptom categories measured (fatigue, dyspnea, congestion, and peripheral-sensory disturbance), only fatigue was a significant predictor (p < 0.006) of negative mood, accounting for 28% of the variance.

CONCLUSION

Negative mood is evidence of impaired coping. The finding that fatigue contributed to negative mood provides support for the theoretic prediction that low energy interferes with an individual's ability to cope with a stressful situation.