A pilot study of the self-reported quality of life for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience significant impairment in their quality of life (QOL). However, relatively few studies have examined overall and global QOL in patients with COPD using both generic QOL and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures.

The purposes of this pilot study were to describe the self-reported QOL (overall and global), disease-specific HRQOL, depressive symptoms, and disease-specific symptoms and experiences of patients with COPD and to examine the relationship among disease-specific HRQOL, depressive symptoms, disease-specific symptoms and experiences, and QOL (overall and global) in patients diagnosed with moderate to severe COPD.

A descriptive correlational design was used. Thirty-six participants completed overall QOL, global QOL, disease-specific HRQOL, depressive symptoms, and disease-specific symptoms and experiences questionnaires.

Overall QOL was low; global QOL was at the median of scale range. Overall QOL scores were significantly correlated with the disease-specific St George Respiratory Questionnaire total score, symptoms and impact subscale, depressive symptoms, and 7 Bronchitis Emphysema Symptom Checklist subscales.

Findings provided partial support for the association between QOL and disease-specific HRQOL and the usefulness of disease-specific questionnaires when assessing QOL.