Differences in illness representation among pulmonary patients and their providers.

This investigation examined how patient and provider groups represent 11 descriptors (concepts) of breathing and breathlessness. Two patient groups, those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and those with asthma, and two provider groups, pulmonologists and nurse specialists (PNS), rated the dissimilarity between each of 55 pairs of concepts on visual analogue scales (VAS). The results demonstrate differences between the groups in illness representation. The findings have implications for understanding differences in illness representation between patient groups and providers.