Effects of psychological well-being, physical status, and social support on oxygen-dependent COPD patients' level of functioning.

Thirty oxygen-dependent patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) participated in a descriptive correlational study in which investigators examined the relationship between oxygen-dependent COPD patients' psychological well-being, physical status, social support, and level of functioning. Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theory of psychological stress and coping was used to guide the study. Using multiple regression analysis, physical symptoms had the most predictive power in relation to the level of functioning, accounting for 44.3% of the variance. Among the symptoms, dyspnea had the greatest influence on functioning.