Living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease from the Perspective of Patients: A Phenomenological Study

Aim: This study aims to determine the disease-related life experiences of individuals with COPD and to clarify the meaning of living with COPD from perspective of patients.

Method: This phenomenological study was conducted with 14 hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of COPD in Department of Chest Diseases in a university hospital between May 15 2009 and July 15 2009. Written consent was obtained from patients who participated in the study. Data was obtained by identifying information form and semi-structured interview technique.

Results: All patients reported that their lives are affected negatively because of COPD, they experience limitation activities of daily living and the cause of the most important symptom of experiencing limitation is the dyspnea. The majority of patients expressed that living with COPD in the form of “too difficult to bear, worse than dying”. All of the patients expressed that levels of dependency increased and self-esteem and self-confidence reduced due to illness. Twelve patients reported that they experienced various social losses because of COPD, while two patients reported that they received more support from their families in the process of the disease.

Conclusion: COPD caused to experience significant limitations and emotional changes in all areas of patients’ lives. The results of the studies examining the meaning of living with chronic illness from patient perspective are important in terms of giving contribution to the development of specific to individual nursing care approaches.