[Stress in elderly hospitalized patients with chronic respiratory disease: assessment in a public geriatric hospital].
BACKGROUND
Studies of stress during hospitalization have mainly focused on patients admitted for acute problems. However, stress and its relationship with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) has yet to be described in chronic and elderly patients. The objective of this paper is to study the presence of stress and coping strategies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in a public geriatric hospital and its relationship with HRQL prior to admission, COPD severity, and dyspnea stage.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients with a diagnosis of COPD were evaluated in the Joan March Hospital (Balearic Islands, Spain) by means of the Hospital Stress Rating Scale, the Dyspnea Scale, the Nottingham Health Profile, and a list of coping strategies.


RESULTS
Low stress levels were found in elderly hospitalized COPD patients. Stress levels were independent of the COPD severity stage. Patients with mild dyspnea had higher stress levels than those with the most severe dyspnea (p<0.05). Patients with poor HRQOL before admission had higher stress levels during hospitalization (p<0.05). The most prevalent coping strategies in these hospitalized patients were related to avoidance.


CONCLUSIONS
The stress generated during hospitalization in elderly COPD patients was related to prior psychosocial conditions (HRQOL) and had a greater effect on patients with greater functional independence.
Medinas Amorós
María Magdalena
MM
Unidad de Psicología, Hospital Joan March, Complejo Hospitalario de Mallorca, Bunyola, Mallorca, España. mmapsi1@gmail.com
Más Tous
Carmen
C
Renom Sotorra
Feliu
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*