[Physical activity assessed by pedometer in patients under home oxygen therapy]

Most of the patients under home oxygen therapy (HOT-patient) tend to stay inside because of their poor cardiopulmonary function, change of the physical and the cosmetic appearances brought about by oxygen supply apparatuses and weakening of the muscle power. Daily decrease in the physical activities possibly causes sleeplessness, further reduction of the cardiopulmonary function and depressive feeling. In order to solve these interrelating problems, it is necessary to help HOT-patients go out of home and gain some social roles. In this regard, elevation of the physical activities of patients themselves and family supports to encourage them are important. The present study was performed to elucidate the relation between daily physical activities as measured by a pedometer and family function and psychosocial factors including depressive state and emotional supports. The depressive state was assessed using Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the family function was measured by Family APGAR score. Pedometer score was recorded everyday for a month and the values were averaged. The averaged score was assumed to represent the patient's physical activity. Six-minutes walking test was done on the plain isle in hospitals. CES-D score was well correlated with pedometer score, i.e., more depressive patients had less pedometer scores. Patients with longer six-minute walking distance had more pedometer scores. Physical activity had nothing to do with Family APGAR score in this study. It was demonstrated that the physical activity was related with depressive state as well as with cardiopulmonary function assessed from six-minute walking distance. The result suggests that supports to expand the HOT-patients' territory of action may improve their depressive state and inhibit cardiopulmonary function from deteriorating.