Risk, protective factors, and supportive interventions in chronic airway obstruction

Fifty-nine patients with chronic airway obstruction completed the Schedule of Recent Experiences and Social Assets Scale (SAS) to measure life stress and social supports. Patients with highest stress and lowest SAS scores (the high-risk group) were randomly assigned to a pulmonary rehabilitation group, self-help support group, or waiting-list control group. Patients with lower stress and/or higher SAS scores (the low-risk group) served as controls. Six months later, a records review showed that high-risk control patients were hospitalized more often than low-risk control patients and for more days than high-risk patients in rehabilitation and self-help support groups. Discriminant analysis determined that SAS and life stress scores predicted subsequent hospitalization, but age, sex, previous hospitalizations, and severity of illness did not. Measurements of stress and social supports can help identify high-risk patients. In turn, professionals might assist these patients by increasing their supports.