Health-Related Quality Of Life, Uncertainty, ‎and Anxiety among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Nazih Abu Tabar,Jafar Alshraideh,Imad Thultheen,Mohammad Al Qadire

doi:10.12688/f1000research.51936.1

Abstract

Patients' with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease suffer from serious respiratory symptoms that increase anxiety, stress, and uncertainty, and affect quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess level of anxiety, uncertainty, and health related quality of life (HRQoL) among COPD patients in Jordan. Correlational cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from 153 COPD patients. ‎The study was conducted at pulmonary clinics in three major referral hospitals in Jordan that provide care for COPD patients from different parts of the country. To assess HRQoL, St. George ‎Respiratory Questionnaire‎ was completed. Uncertainty and anxiety level was measured by Mishel's uncertainty of illness scale and state anxiety inventory respectively. The mean age of participants was 66.8 (SD= 10.3) and most participants were males (94.1%) with. The mean score of HRQoL was 57.9 (SD = 20.5). The mean score of participants' level of anxiety was 38.1 (SD = 11.1). The mean score of uncertainty was 66.1 (SD= 11.1). There is a statistically significant positive relationship between HRQoL and anxiety (r =.433, p< .01), and uncertainty (r=.483, p<.01). Increased anxiety and uncertainty among COPD patients was associated with low HRQoL. Health care providers need to pay attention the effect of anxiety and uncertainty on COPD patients' quality of life and institute appropriate management.

Highlights

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the chronic irreversible respiratory diseases which result in comorbidities and a high number of annual deaths[1] leading to the increased burden of chronic diseases worldwide.[2]
COPD remains the most prevalent of chronic respiratory diseases globally among men and women, with an overall prevalence of 5.9% in 2017.2 It is estimated that 3.6% of the population in the Middle East have been diagnosed with COPD and the figure reaches 11% among Jordanian male smokers.[5,6]
The results indicate that the level of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among patients with COPD in this study was reduced across all domains of HRQoL measurement

Summary

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the chronic irreversible respiratory diseases which result in comorbidities and a high number of annual deaths[1] leading to the increased burden of chronic diseases worldwide.[2]. Several studies have reported that patients with COPD have a higher prevalence of anxiety (21–96%) compared with the general population (20%).[12,13,14] In addition, most of the patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe COPD reported severe breathlessness, which is worsened with the experience of anxiety or depression This may increase the frequency and severity of breathing symptoms, number of readmissions, and mortality.[14,15,16] Further, several studies reported that anxiety was a predictor of low mean of total score of HRQoL.[17,18,19,20,21] In Jordan, high prevalence of anxiety and depression, and poor quality of life were found among COPD patients and their partners.[17]

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Results

Conclusion