Effect of Perceived Dyspnea on Attitude Toward Death From the Perspective of COPD Patients

In this study, it was aimed to examine attitudes toward dyspnea and death from the perspective of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients and to determine the relationship between them. This descriptive research was carried out in the chest diseases clinic of a public hospital and with the participation of COPD patients (n = 124). The data were obtained from the Personal Information Form, Death Attitude Profile-Revised, and Medical Research Council Scale. The neutral acceptance and approach acceptance subscale is explained as believing that death is an inevitable part of life and a transition to life after death. The escape acceptance subscale is explained as believing that life will save from physical or psychological harms. It was determined that the Neutral Acceptance and Approach Acceptance sub-dimension of the predictors of dyspnea, comorbid diseases, and COPD had a significant effect at a rate of 33% (p = 0.000). Dyspnea, Comorbid diseases, and the predictors of the severity of COPD affect the Escape Acceptance sub-dimension by 57% (p = 0.000). This research has shown that fear of death is high in COPD patients with high perceived dyspnea. The psychological support provided to patients with COPD should be considered to relieve the fear of death. New studies are needed in which these should be reevaluated in the same context.