Situation analysis of medical social support and self-perceived burden in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in Chengdu

Abstract

Objective To analyze the situation of medical social support and self-perceived burden in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) in Chengdu, explore the influence of medical social support for patients with family oxygen cure. Methods A convenient sampling was conducted in 4 hospitals in Chengdu, and selected totally 124 elderly patients with COPD in January 2013 as the research object. Results Those patients' average daily life ability score was (20.19±7.10) points, 42 cases' daily life ability was normal, 44 had deficiency in daily life, 38 had obvious flaws; 16 cases received medical social support condition at a critical level, 66 at a general level, 42 in good condition; the difference of the ability of daily life between actual support and other supports was statistically significant (P 0.05). Patients with long term oxygen therapy had higher self-perceived burden than patients without oxygen therapy at home [(18.65±3.97) points vs. (17.69±6.24) points,t=6.015,P<0.05], but patients with long term oxygen therapy had better medical and social support condition than those without oxygen therapy at home [(282.11±37.47) points vs. (262.26±61.14) points,t=6.624,P<0.05]. Conclusions The level of medical and social support in elderly patients with COPD need improve. Nurses need to provide better guidance for patients with long term oxygen therapy, ensure them obtain adequate information, improve their emotional support and social interaction, enhance their medical social support condition. Key words: Aged; Pulmonary disease, chronic obstructive; Medical social support; Self-perceived burden