FUNCTIONAL HEALTH STATUS OF PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC INTERSTITIAL LUNG DISEASE (DYSPNEA, SOCIAL SUPPORT).
Contributors: University of Iowa.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 377
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Social.; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery.
Description: Health status is one way to describe the impact of chronic illness on life functioning and to measure treatment outcomes for conditions in which cure is impossible. The simple presence of a chronic disease is not sufficient, however, to explain large amounts of variance in functional health status (FHS). Studies are needed to describe what variables moderate the impact of chronic interstitial lung disease (ILD) on function.

Using a cross sectional correlational design, the purpose of this research was to answer the following questions: (1) What is the FHS of people with chronic ILD? (2) What is the personality profile and coping style of people with chronic ILD? and (3) To what extent do (a) disease type, (b) demographic variables, (c) disease characteristics, (d) resources of self-efficacy and social support, and (e) general health perception contribute to the FHS of people with chronic ILD?.

A nonprobability sample of 92 adults with pulmonary sarcoidosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and asbestosis was used in this study. Statistically significant differences were found by type of ILD for the dependent variable of function as measured by the the 12 minute walking distance test (12 MWD). Significant differences were not noted for function as measured by the Sickness Impact Profile (SIP) total score. As revealed by subscale scores, subjects had the most difficulty with work, sleep and rest, and home management. Personality profiles as measured with the Neo Five Factor Personality Inventory were not significantly different from the normal population. Confrontive coping styles were used most frequently followed by palliative and emotive styles respectively.

Based on multiple regression techniques, age, socioeconomic status, pharmacological treatment, frequency of exacerbations, and symptom frequency were the variables that uniquely explained 46.9% of the variance in the 12 MWD. Variables that uniquely contributed to explaining 45% of the variance in the SIP-total were pharmacological treatment, pulmonary function tests, frequency of exacerbations, and frequency of symptoms.

General health perception (GHP), social support, and self-efficacy did not contribute significantly to explaining the variance in function. However, GHP was significantly correlated, with both dependent measures and with several symptom variables.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: B, page: 3405.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA, 1992.

School code: 0096.