title: The impact of coping on the somatic and mental status of patients with COPD: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most debilitating somatic diseases, having anxiety and depression frequently as comorbidities. The coping style, the way in which the subject manages to control the difficult and stressful situations of life, can influence its evolution and also the existence of the comorbidities. In this study, coping styles in a group of subjects with COPD and their association with the intensity of depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as medical determinants were identified.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, 28 male patients with COPD risk class D were enrolled. The patients performed spirometry tests, Borg scale, 6-minute walking test, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and COPE Inventory were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to their higher coping subscale score, the depression score was the highest in patients with avoidance-type coping and the lowest in patients with problem-focused coping (11.0 vs 5.6; P=0.042), respectively, patients with social support-focused coping having the highest anxiety score in contrast to patients with emotion-focused coping, which had the lowest anxiety score (11.6 vs 5.0; P=0.006). Regarding respiratory parameters, significant differences were present for the variation of the medians between the four groups only for forced vital capacity (FVC%) (the lowest FVC% was in patients with predominant social support-focused coping and the highest in patients with problem-focused coping) and 6-minute walking test (%) (the lowest score for patients with social support-focused coping and the highest value in patients with avoidance-type coping). Problem-coping score was significantly and positively associated with FVC% (Spearman's r=0.400; P=0.035), emotion-focused coping score was significantly and positively associated with FVC% (Spearman's r=0.395; P=0.038), and social support-focused coping score was negatively and significantly correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second/FVC% ratio (Spearman's r=0.389; P=0.041). A significant, negative correlation was found only between depression score and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (Spearman's r=-0.435; P=0.026) with respect to psychiatric symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coping styles in patients with COPD affect the intensity of associated depressive and anxiety symptoms as well as medical determinants, thus the coping style should be considered an important part in the multidisciplinary approach of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences - Discipline of Psychiatry.
authors.forename: Ion
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papava
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oancea
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences - Discipline of Psychiatry.
authors.forename: Virgil Radu
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Enatescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences - Discipline of Psychiatry.
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bredicean
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences - Discipline of Psychiatry.
authors.forename: Liana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dehelean
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences - Discipline of Psychiatry.
authors.forename: Radu Stefan
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Romosan
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Sciences, "Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timişoara, Romania.
authors.forename: Bogdan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Timar
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008602:Mental Healing; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D013147:Spirometry; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014797:Vital Capacity; D000070857:Walk Test
keywords: COPD; COPE; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; anxiety; depression