Illness Cognition of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective To investigate the illness awareness in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) so as to provide evidence for effective self-management intervention in COPD patients.Methods Using convenience sampling method,137 COPD in-patients or out-patients were enrolled to receive a self-designed questionnaire on the awareness of COPD knowledge from 3 Grade-Ⅲ Level-A hospitals and 2 Grade-Ⅱ level-A hospitals from March to August 2010.Results The total scores of COPD health knowledge questionnaire in the 137 COPD cases were 3-29 points with the average score of 15.55±6.28 points.The scores of steroids applied,inhaled bronchodilators application,rehabilitation were home oxygen therapy,pulmonary infection at a low levels and the values were 0.77±0.28,1.02±0.20,1.28±0.19,1.32±1.08,1.60±0.89,respectively.While the nature of COPD,COPD etiology,antibiotics,COPD symptoms and smoking were at intermediate levels.Conclusion The master degree of health knowledge by the COPD patients is far from optimal level,which deserves specific and strengthend health education.