Disease-related appraisals and perceived social support in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Background. Disease-related appraisals (DRAs) are subjective meanings that patients attribute to their disease (i.e. threat, profit, obstacle/loss, challenge, harm, value). Previous research has emphasized the significance of DRAs through demonstration of their links with indicators of adaptation to living with a chronic disease. The aim of this study was to test whether DRAs are linked to perceived social support in a sample of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods. 142 patients with COPD completed measures of DRAs and social support and were assessed with respect to clinical and laboratory indices of disease severity. Findings. Patients with different degrees of disease severity did not differ significantly on DRAs or social support. Higher levels of social support were correlated positively with positive meanings attributed to the disease (i.e. profit, challenge and value; P<.001) and one negative meaning (threat; P<.05). Other negative meanings (obstacle/loss and harm) did not correlate significantly with social support. Discussion. Subjective DRAs may be unrelated to objective severity of COPD. Higher social support may be viewed as facilitating positive DRAs, however these relationships are most probably bidirectional.