title: Knowledge about asthma and COPD: associations with sick leave, health complaints, functional limitations, adaptation, and perceived control.
abstract: We sought to investigate associations between knowledge about the disease and sick leave, health complaints, functional limitations, adaptation and perceived control. Patients with asthma (n = 101) and COPD (n = 64) underwent lung function tests and completed questionnaires. In addition, all were asked the question: 'what is the diagnosis of your disease?', with the response categories: 'asthma' and 'COPD (chronic bronchitis or emphysema)'. Thirty-five percent of the asthma patients and 30% of the COPD patients did not know their correct diagnosis. Sick leave was not associated with knowledge about the disease in asthma and COPD. In asthma, much knowledge about management of the disease was associated with better adaptation (P = 0.01) and less perceived control over health by external factors (P = 0.02). Knowing the correct diagnosis was associated with less control over health by powerful others (P = 0.02). For COPD, more knowledge about management of the disease was associated with better adaptation (P = 0.02) and less control over health by internal factors (P = 0.01). Knowing the correct diagnosis was associated with less control over dyspnea at work (P = 0.01).
authors.affiliation: Netherlands Expert Centre for Work-related Respiratory Disorders, Department of Pulmonology, Dekkerswald, Groesbeek. c.boot@ulc.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Cécile R L
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Boot
authors.forename: Joost W J
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: van der Gulden
authors.forename: Jan H M M
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Vercoulen
authors.forename: Bart H W
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: van den Borne
authors.forename: Karin H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Orbon
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rooijackers
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van Weel
authors.forename: Hans Th M
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Folgering
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D018582:Sick Leave; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires