Sociodemographic and clinical factors affecting the quality of life of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND: COPD remains a significant challenge for contemporary medicine. It is one of the most common respiratory illnesses and leads to disability as well as deteriorating patient’s quality of life (QOL). OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of selected sociodemographic and clinical factors on QOL and level of illness acceptance (LIA) of patients with COPD. DESIGN: This study was a cross-sectional, prospective, observational study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study involved 100 patients (34 women and 66 men) suffering from COPD for at least half a year, treated in the Allergology Clinic at the Department of Internal Medicine, Geriatrics and Allergy, Wroclaw Medical University in Poland. Standardized questionnaires such as Short Form-36 Health Survey, Saint George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, Acceptance of Illness Scale, and COPD Author’s Questionnaire were used to assess QOL and LIA. RESULTS: Among the most significant results, there were no statistically significant differences between the patients’ sex and their QOL and LIA (P>0.05). It has been observed that with an increase in the age of patients, a statistically significant decrease in LIA is observed, especially after 60 years of age (P=0.001). It was found that the higher level of education of the patients was statistically significant in the higher QOL (P<0.05) and in the greater LIA (P<0.05). Interestingly, there was no statistically significant effect of active smoking and overweight on QOL and LIA (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Sex of COPD patients does not affect their QOL or LIA, nonetheless, the age decreases the level of QOL and LIA. Higher education improves QOL scores; however, factors such as dyspnea, longer duration of illness, comorbidities, oxygen therapy undertaking, and family burden of respiratory disease affect deterioration of QOL.