Objective

To describe health promotion behaviors and the degree of physical dependence in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosed.

Methodology

This study employed a quantitative correlational approach in which a probabilistic sample of 125 people was obtained. A health-promoting lifestyle Profile II Spanish version and the Barthel Index scale were applied.

Findings

The 68.8% of the participants were females. The most prevailing diagnostic was unspecified COPD 67.2%. As exposition factors several aspects as tobacco use 35.2%, this factor along with the exposition to the biomass smoke were identified at 32.8%. Regarding the health promotion behaviors, there was evidence of a low average in the dimensions related to physical activity and nutrition; a high average in their spiritual growth, in both, men and women. The 92.8% of the sample population were independent regarding basic activities of their daily life. Some statistically meaningful associations were identified in some dimensions of the health-promoting lifestyle Profile II with: age groups, supplementary oxygen use and biomass smoke exposition.

Conclusion

At the end of this study, there was indication of unhealthy behaviors in a population who still presented a good level of physical independence despite their clinical diagnosis and the predominant of exposition factors. The analysis of other factors, which predict health promotion behaviors, is imperative.

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