Level of Awareness of Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Regarding the Essence of Their Disease

Paultona M and Diricrona S

Published on: 2025-02-28

Abstract

Summary: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease accompanied by acute exacerbations and chronic symptoms that lead to frequent hospitalizations and reduced quality of life. Knowledge of the disease, its associated risk factors, symptoms and complications, as well as how to prevent them, is extremely important for patients. This allows them to control their disease, thus prolonging and improving their quality of life.

Objective: To determine the level of awareness of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease regarding the nature of their disease and the need for additional education.

Materials and Methods

Sociological Methods: Documentary method - the available literature on the problem was studied;

Survey Method

• An anonymous survey was conducted, covering 75 hospitalized patients with COPD in 2 medical facilities in the city of Pleven;
• An anonymous survey was conducted with 13 nurses working in medical facilities where the research was conducted;
• An anonymous survey was conducted with 8 of the doctors - pulmonologists in the medical facilities where the survey was conducted.

Statistical Methods: The obtained data were processed with program products MS Office Excel, SPSS Statistics Version 20.

Results

The anonymous survey was conducted in the period November 2022 - April 2023 at the Clinic of Pneumology and Phthisia "Prof. Stefan Todorov" and Diagnostic - consultative blok in pulmonology at UMBAL - Pleven. The proportion of patients partially aware of the nature of their illness is 35 (46.67 %). A large part of the patients shared (n=63; 84.13%) that they received primary information about their disease from the pulmonologist treating them. The proportion of respondents who had an exacerbation of COPD was very high – 74.67% (n=56). This corresponds to the large percentage of patients with more than 3 or 4 hospitalizations. The proportion of patients who do not know how to cope in such a situation is particularly large, 69.33% (n=52). This testifies to a lack of awareness, as well as the inability of patients to respond adequately and reduce the risk of accidents.

Conclusion: Patients with COPD are not sufficiently familiar with their disease and a large number of them need additional information about the nature of the disease, how to deal with crisis situations, as well as how to use an inhaler and inhalation technique. Acquiring this information is essential for improving the healing process and optimal disease control.