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The disablement process in patients with pulmonary disease
D U Jette1, D Manago, E Medved
1Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, Graduate School for Health Studies, Simmons College, Boston, MA 02115, USA. djette@vmsvax.simmons.edu
Physical Therapy
|April 1, 1997
Summary
Patients with chronic pulmonary disease experience significant disabilities impacting daily life. Functional limitations, like the 6-minute walk distance, correlate with disability but not directly with pulmonary impairments.
Area of Science:
- Pulmonary Medicine
- Rehabilitation Science
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Chronic pulmonary disease affects a significant portion of the population, leading to various disabilities.
- Understanding the disablement process model is crucial for managing patients with pulmonary conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the disabilities experienced by patients with pulmonary disease.
- To investigate the relationships between impairments, functional limitations, and disability using the disablement process model.
Main Methods:
- 154 patients with chronic pulmonary disease were studied.
- Data included pulmonary impairment measures, 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), and Functional Status Questionnaire (FSQ) scores.
- Multivariate analyses examined relationships between impairment, 6MWD, and FSQ scores.
Main Results:
- 50% of patients were not working due to health issues.
- Pulmonary function measures (FEV1, saturation) related to 6MWD, but not FSQ scores.
- 6MWD was associated with FSQ scales for basic (R2=.24), instrumental (R2=.35), and social activities (R2=.26).
Conclusions:
- Patients entering pulmonary rehabilitation programs exhibit clinically significant disabilities.
- The disablement process model effectively explains the relationships between impairment, function, and disability.
- Measurements of impairment, functional limitation, and disability provide distinct and valuable information for pulmonary patients.