Sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting the quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND

COPD remains a significant challenge for contemporary medicine. It is one of the most common respiratory illnesses and leads to disability as well as deteriorating patient's quality of life (QOL).

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of selected sociodemographic and clinical factors on QOL and level of illness acceptance (LIA) of patients with COPD.

DESIGN

This study was a cross-sectional, prospective, observational study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study involved 100 patients (34 women and 66 men) suffering from COPD for at least half a year, treated in the Allergology Clinic at the Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Allergy, Wroclaw Medical University in Poland. Standardized questionnaires such as Short Form-36 Health Survey, Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire, Acceptance of Illness Scale, and COPD Author's Questionnaire were used to assess QOL and LIA.

RESULTS

Among the most significant results, there were no statistically significant differences between the patients' sex and their QOL and LIA (>0.05). It has been observed that with an increase in the age of patients, a statistically significant decrease in LIA is observed, especially after 60 years of age (=0.001). It was found that the higher level of education of the patients was statistically significant in the higher QOL (<0.05) and in the greater LIA (<0.05). Interestingly, there was no statistically significant effect of active smoking and overweight on QOL and LIA (>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Sex of COPD patients does not affect their QOL or LIA, nonetheless, the age decreases the level of QOL and LIA. Higher education improves QOL scores; however, factors such as dyspnea, longer duration of illness, comorbidities, oxygen therapy undertaking, and family burden of respiratory disease affect deterioration of QOL.