title: Differences in illness representation among pulmonary patients and their providers.
abstract: This investigation examined how patient and provider groups represent 11 descriptors (concepts) of breathing and breathlessness. Two patient groups, those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and those with asthma, and two provider groups, pulmonologists and nurse specialists (PNS), rated the dissimilarity between each of 55 pairs of concepts on visual analogue scales (VAS). The results demonstrate differences between the groups in illness representation. The findings have implications for understanding differences in illness representation between patient groups and providers.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0203, USA. insel@nursing.arizona.edu
authors.forename: Kathleen Collins
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Insel
authors.forename: Paula M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Meek
authors.forename: Howard
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leventhal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000379:methods; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014939:Work of Breathing / Q000502:physiology