title: A cross sectional observational study on the influence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on activities of daily living: the COPD-Life study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to identify the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on activities of daily living, life styles and needs in patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants of this national, multi-centered, cross-sectional observational study included 497 stable COPD patients from 41 centers. The mean age (standard deviation; SD) was 63.3 (9.3) years with 59.0% of the patients under the age of 65, and 89.9% of the participants were male. Sociodemographic and COPD-related data were gathered at enrollment and during the 1-month telephone follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean (SD) COPD duration was 7.3 (6.5) years in the overall population while 5.4 (4.6) years for patients who recieved COPD diagnosis at least one year after the onset of symptoms. Dyspnea was the most common (83.1%) symptom and walking up stairs (66.6%) was the most difficult activity to be performed. Majority of the patients were aware of COPD as a chronic disease (63.4%), requiring ongoing treatment (79.7%), mainly caused by smoking (63.5%). 59% of the patients were under the age of 65 years-old. In 84% of patients, graduation from at least a primary school was identified. Results revealed an average number of two dependants that were obliged to look after per patient, ability to go on an outing in 91% of the patients, and going grocery shopping with ease in more than two-thirds of the study population. There was no significant difference in regular use of medication device across different educational or age groups. The top three COPD treatment expectations of the patients were being able to breathe (24.1%), walking (17.1%), and walking up stairs (11.7%), while shortness of breath (43.3%) was the first priority treatment need.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In contrast to the common view that COPD prevalance is higher in old age population, this study showed that the rate of the disease is higher among younger patients than expected; indispensability of out of the house activities in majority of patients; and use of regular medication device to be independent of educational level and the age of COPD patients. Our findings indicate that the likelihood of COPD patient population to be composed of younger and active individuals who do not spend majority of their time at home/in bed as opposed to popular belief. Therefore, availability of a portable and easy to use device for medication seems to be important to enhance daily living.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine Hospital, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin, Turkey. mpolatli@ttmail.com
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Polatlı
authors.forename: Cahit
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bilgin
authors.forename: Bengü
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Şaylan
authors.forename: Şeyma
authors.initials: Ş
authors.lastname: Başlılar
authors.forename: Evren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toprak
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ergen
authors.forename: Nur Dilek
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Bakan
authors.forename: Levent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kart
authors.forename: Zennur
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kılıç
authors.forename: Azize
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Üstünel
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Şengün
authors.forename: Yelda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Varol
authors.forename: Adem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
authors.forename: Çağatay
authors.initials: Ç
authors.lastname: Ataol
authors.forename: Didem
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bulgur
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bozdoğan
authors.forename: İlknur
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Tunaboyu
authors.forename: Zehra Gülcihan
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Özkan
authors.forename: Ekrem
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uysal
authors.forename: Sevtap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gülgösteren
authors.forename: Neşe
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akın
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Selim
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irmak
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Turgut
authors.forename: Olgun
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Keskin
authors.forename: Hilal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bektaş Uysal
authors.forename: Nevin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sofuoğlu
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yılmaz
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005100:Expectorants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D005100:Expectorants