Abstract

FERNANDEZ VARGAS, A. M. et al. Quality of life, familiar and social network of patients  with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Medifam [online]. 2001, vol.11, n.9, pp.44-53. ISSN 1131-5768.

Backgrounds: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic and invalidant illness with a great impact on quality of life, and family and social dynamics. Patients perceive limitations caused by their health status and this causes a low self-steem that threatens their position in their families and society  Aims: 1. describe sociodemographic characteristics of patients with COPD. 2. Analize the quality of life, social network and family dynamics of these patients.  Design: cross-sectional study.  Participants: 278 patients with COPD (confidence level 95%) from two urban health centers.  Main measurements: personal interview. Variables: quality of life (Nottingham Health Profile; St George Respiratory Questionnaire); social network (Duke-UNC scale); family dynamics (APGAR family test);sociodemographic profile; smoking habit and comorbidity. Statistical analises: descriptive statistics.  Results: sociodemographic profile: age: 66.9±8,9 years; sex: (88%) male; married (87%); illiterates (46.7%); retired people (77%); smoking habit (76%) with a mean consum of 53.2 boxes per year. Comorbidity: 76%. Quality of life scales (mean and standard deviation): Nottingham Health Profile subscales (total score 100 points): energy 40±(35.6-44.4), pain 35.9±(32.3-39.5), emotional reactions 32.5±(29.4-38.6), sleep 41.9±(37.8-45.9), social isolation 15.3±(12.7-17.9), mobility 36.7±(33.9-39.5), global score 33.4±(30.8-36). St George Respitatory Questionnaire subscales (total scores 100 points): impact 38.01±(35.08-40.18), activity 53.8±(50.2-57.4), symptoms 37.7±(35.2-40.3) and global score 40.0±(38.6-43.2). Good emotional social support (61% patients); limited confidential social support in 57.4% patients. APGAR test: mild family disfunction in 17.4% and severe family disfunction in 2.9%.  Conclusions: quality of life in COPD patients is affected in de following dimensions: sleep, energy and mobility assessed by NHP and in the subscale activity assessed by the SGRQ. Abit more than a half of patients referred to have an acceptable social support (the emotional support is greater than the confidential one). We have found a considerable percentage of family disfunction.

Keywords : Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; Quality of life; Sociofamily support.

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