Self-efficacy as a predictor of improvement in health status and overall quality of life in pulmonary rehabilitation-An exploratory study

Objective: To evaluate developments in health status (HS) and overall quality of life (QOL), and the impact of self-efficacy on HS and QOL in relation to COPD pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Methods: A longitudinal study of 100 COPD patients before and up to 3 months after COPD PR. Self-efficacy was measured by the COPD self-efficacy scale, HS by the St. George Respiratory Questionnaire and QOL by the Quality of Life Scale. Mixed effect models were used. Results: Patients reported significantly reduced psychosocial impact of disease (estimate = -4.05, p = 0.019) immediately after the PR programme. Higher levels of self-efficacy at baseline predicted significantly reduced psychosocial impact of disease and improved physical activity, total HS and QOL (p < 0.05). Better exercise capacity at baseline predicted significantly reduced psychosocial impact of disease, improved physical activity and QOL (p < 0.05). Older age at baseline predicted significantly fewer respiratory symptoms and improved total HS (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patients reported significantly reduced psychosocial impact of disease immediately after a COPD PR, and better exercise capacity and higher self-efficacy at baseline predicted significantly improved HS and QOL. Practice implications: Increasing self-efficacy is suggested to be an important aim in relation to COPD PR. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.