Physical and emotional aspects of self–reported health status: a two–factor model of the short–form BreathingProblems Questionnaire

The short version of the Breathing Problems Questionnaire (BPQ) is used as an outcome tool in pulmonary assessment. The aim of the study was to establish the validity of scoring BPQ with two subscales, reflecting emotional and physical components of health–related quality of life (HRQoL). Two subscales were suggested by exploratory factor analysis conducted on a data set of 97 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Both subscales were significantly associated with the 6 minute walk test, total quality of life, and emotional stability. Only the physical subscale was significantly associated with FEVI, and only the emotional subscale was significantly associated with happiness. Overall, the sizes of the different correlations are consistent with the conceptual differentiation of the two subscales. We suggest that evaluation of rehabilitation can be made with the two subscales as well as an overall score of the BPQ.

Different short-term and longitudinal results on perceived health status for asthma and COPD patients after pulmonary rehabilitation. Patients living alone have the largest improvements in perceived quality of life

A combined sample (n = 132) of asthma (70%, n = 92) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (30%, n = 40) patients was assessed for short-term and longitudinal changes in perceived health status (HS), quality of life (QoL), and trait anxiety after a 4-week inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP). The total sample improved on HS (P = 0.009 effect size (ES) = 0.12) and QoL (P = 0.011, ES = 0.16) immediately after rehabilitation but improvements diminished at 6 months follow-up. Trait anxiety scores changed very little. The COPD group improved on HS immediately after the rehabilitation program (P = 0.005, ES = 0.16) but scores had deteriorated at follow-up. The asthma group had only a small and non-significant HS improvement immediately after the program but got better during the follow-up period and improved significantly on HS (P = 0.040, ES = 0.21) from before rehabilitation to follow-up 6 months after the program. Within both diagnosis groups, patients who were living alone had the largest improvements in QoL scores. PRP may have different longitudinal effects for patients with asthma and COPD. After-care procedures are probably important in rehabilitation of patients with COPD.