Illness perceptions and HRQoL
As shown in the crude regression model, which is not
corrected for confounders (model 1, Table 4), consequences (β = .26), identity (β = .43) and comprehensibility (β = −.16) were associated with HRQoL as measured by the CCQ. When corrected for the confounders of age and gender (model 2), only identity (β = .44) was associated with HRQoL. In model 3, corrected for the confounders of dyspnoea, FEV1%predicted and comorbidities, identity
(β = .42) and comprehensibility (β = −.16) were associated with HRQoL. Identity, comprehensibility and dyspnea explained 56% of the variation in HRQoL in model 3 (R2 = .56). FEV%pred and comorbidity were not associated with the CCQ. These results indicate that
COPD patients with weaker perceptions of identity and
greater understanding (comprehensibility) of the disease
have better HRQoL.