Factors determining self-efficacy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the factors determining self-efficacy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS: Thirty male patients with COPD and 30 healthy controls participated in the study. Pulmonary function tests, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), modified Borg scale, modified Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire (ADL-Q), and COPD Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES) were used for the evaluation. The study was performed between September 2003 and May 2004 at the Department of Chest Medicine, School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.

RESULTS: The COPD patients expressed higher depression and dyspnea level and impaired activities of daily living than healthy controls (p<0.05). Duration of disease and the ADL-Q score was significantly correlated with all subscales of CSES (p<0.05). Borg score and anxiety score were significantly related with negative affect, weather/environment, and behavioral risk factors subscales of CSES (p<0.05). Lung function was significantly related with physical exertion and behavioral risk factors, and 6MWT distance was significantly correlated with weather/environment and behavioral risk factors subscales (p<0.05). The MRC score was correlated with weather/environment score (p<0.05). The ADL-Q score and disease duration accounted for 76% of the variance in self-efficacy (p<0.05)

CONCLUSION: Level of impaired activities of daily living due to respiratory limitation and the number of years since diagnosis are independent variables that predict self-efficacy, or level of confidence in engaging specific behaviors that lead to specific desired outcomes in COPD.