Abstract
Background: Persistent breathlessness is debilitating and increases in prevalence with advanced age and at end of life. This study aimed to evaluate any relationship between self-reported global impressions of change (GIC) in perceived health and breathlessness in older men.
Design: Cross-sectional study of 73-year-old Swedish men in the VAScular and Chronic Obstructive Lung disease study. A postal survey included items on perceived changes in health and breathlessness (GIC scales) and breathlessness (assessed using the modified Medical Research Council [mMRC] breathlessness scale, Dyspnea-12 and Multidimensional Dyspnea Scale) since age 65.
Results: Of 801 respondents, breathlessness (mMRC ≥2) was reported by 17.9%, worsening breathlessness by 29.1%, and worsening perceived health by 51.3%. Worsening breathlessness was strongly correlated with worsening perceived health (Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.68 [p
Conclusion: The strong correlation between perceived changes in health and persistent breathlessness helps delineate a more comprehensive picture of the challenges faced by older adults living with this disabling symptom.
Design: Cross-sectional study of 73-year-old Swedish men in the VAScular and Chronic Obstructive Lung disease study. A postal survey included items on perceived changes in health and breathlessness (GIC scales) and breathlessness (assessed using the modified Medical Research Council [mMRC] breathlessness scale, Dyspnea-12 and Multidimensional Dyspnea Scale) since age 65.
Results: Of 801 respondents, breathlessness (mMRC ≥2) was reported by 17.9%, worsening breathlessness by 29.1%, and worsening perceived health by 51.3%. Worsening breathlessness was strongly correlated with worsening perceived health (Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.68 [p
Conclusion: The strong correlation between perceived changes in health and persistent breathlessness helps delineate a more comprehensive picture of the challenges faced by older adults living with this disabling symptom.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 120-126 |
| Journal | Palliative Medicine Reports |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2023 Apr 20 |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Gerontology, specializing in Medical and Health Sciences