title: Symptoms and functional performance in Korean immigrants with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  People with chronic obstructive lung diseases often experience a variety of symptoms. Few studies, however, have described these symptoms in detail. This study sought to examine concurrent symptoms, symptom clusters, and the effects of symptoms on functioning in Korean immigrants with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatients with asthma or COPD participated in this cross-sectional, correlational study. Symptoms, dyspnea, mood, and functional performance were assessed with questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most frequently reported symptom was shortness of breath. Three factors emerged from 16 symptoms. Age, mean severity score of 7 symptoms, working status, level of acculturation, and level of education explained significant variance in functional performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The symptom cluster, consisting of 7 symptoms, showed the greatest effect on levels of functioning, which emphasizes the importance of assessment for coexisting symptoms in populations with these diseases.
authors: School of Nursing, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, 400 North Ingalls Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA. sookyung.park7@gmail.com
authors: Soo Kyung
authors: SK
authors: Park
authors: Nancy A
authors: NA
authors: Stotts
authors: Marilyn K
authors: MK
authors: Douglas
authors: Doranne
authors: D
authors: Donesky-Cuenco
authors: Virginia
authors: V
authors: Carrieri-Kohlman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054521:Cultural Competency; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000473:pathology; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010045:Outpatients; D011594:Psychometrics; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D057566:Self Report; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014797:Vital Capacity