Personal Growth and Associated Factors Among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: This cross-sectional study aimed to describe personal growth and to analyze its associated factors among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China. Patients and Methods: A total of 364 Chinese COPD hospitalized patients were included in the study between November 2016 and April 2018. Participants provided demographic information and completed the Growth Through Uncertainty Scale (GTUS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale (mMRC). Results: The mean total score on the GTUS was 142.34 (SD = 7.61). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that factors including educational level, average monthly income, social support, and breathlessness can influence personal growth (R-2 = 0.427, F = 44.420, p < 0.001), explaining 42.7% of the variance. Conclusion: COPD patients tend to report a moderate level of personal growth in China. Educational level, average monthly income, social support, and breathlessness were significant factors associated with personal growth. Medical workers should be aware of the level of personal growth among COPD patients and make tailored interventions to facilitate COPD patients' personal growth, such as increasing social support and decrease breathlessness.