PSYCHOLOGICAL-FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH USE OF HOME NEBULIZED THERAPY FOR COPD

This study examined the relationship between adherence to domiciliary nebulized therapy and psychological factors; patient attitudes, anxiet y, depression, and quality of life. Ninety three patients aged 45-77 y rs with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and using domicil iary nebulizers were recruited from a hospital database, They complete d the St George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ)-1 and the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and attended a semistructured inte rview, Their usual nebulizers were replaced by Dataloggers, which reco rd the date, time and duration of each treatment, to use for 4 weeks, The SGRQ was then repeated (SGRQ-2). Eighty two patients completed the study, Fifty six percent were poorly adherent; taking less than 70% o f the dose prescribed (or less than 60% on regimens of greater than or equal to 5 times daily), The total scores on the SGRQ-2 were negative ly correlated with percentage adherence, Multiple regression analysis showed that the SGRQ-2 total score was associated with percentage adhe rence, depression score, feeling supported by clinic staff, and patien ts feeling that they tried to ignore their chest disease. Patients who report peter quality of life are more likely to be depressed, feel un supported by clinic staff and be poorly adherent to treatment, Increas ed levels of clinic support, with the addition of psychological treatm ents, may be of benefit to some patients with chronic obstructive pulm onary disease.