The COPD Helplessness Index: a new tool to measure factors affecting patient self-management.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Psychologic factors affect how patients with COPD respond to attempts to improve their self-management skills. Learned helplessness may be one such factor, but there is no validated measure of helplessness in COPD.

Methods

We administered a new COPD Helplessness Index (CHI) to 1,202 patients with COPD. Concurrent validity was assessed through association of the CHI with established psychosocial measures and COPD severity. The association of helplessness with incident COPD exacerbations was then examined by following subjects over a median 2.1 years, defining COPD exacerbations as COPD-related hospitalizations or ED visits.

Results

The CHI demonstrated internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.75); factor analysis was consistent with the CHI representing a si

SUBMITTER: Omachi TA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2851553 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature