Psychosocial effects of continuous oxygen therapy in hypoxaemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

Twenty six hypoxaemic patients with severe and stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were treated with continuous domiciliary oxygen for a six month period. The patients were evaluated 1, 3 and 6 months after the start of oxygen therapy. In addition to blood gas analysis, 15 coping skills were evaluated by the patient and by the nurse, who also rated the general activity of the patients. Depression was measured by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) at the start of the trial and after six months' oxygen therapy. The general psychosocial response was meagre; no significant changes were observed in any psychosocial measures. The response was slightly better in younger and less hypoxaemic patients. We conclude that the psychosocial response to oxygen therapy in severely hypoxaemic COPD patients is limited.