title: A qualitative study of individuals at risk for or who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: what do they understand about their disease?
abstract: This qualitative study examined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) knowledge and attitudes among patients at risk for or with COPD. Participants perceived lung cancer as the primary lung disease of concern to their health and were largely unaware of COPD. Overall, the primary care patients expressed a desire to obtain additional information regarding their lung condition and, among smokers, information to help motivate them to quit smoking. An age-related metaphor, "MyLungAge" was well received and understood and may help facilitate successful management of COPD patients. Providing patients with their lung age at the point of diagnosis may be an optimum time to promote behavioral change and will require further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Primary Care and Prevention, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University/Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, 111 Brewster Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860, USA. Donna_Parker@Brown.edu
authors.forename: Donna R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Roberta E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: Charles B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Eaton
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010821:Physicians, Family; D011320:Primary Health Care; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires