Qualitative Evidence in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Persons with COPD often experience multiple symptoms, are diagnosed later after the onset of their disease, and experience both chronic illness and acute events. Despite the complexity of their illness and symptom burden, there was scant attention to the psychosocial aspects and personal experiences of living with COPD until the year 2000. Within this chapter is a review of the qualitative literature that focuses on experiences of persons with COPD, their caregivers, or both. The literature is organized into six perspectives: distressing symptoms; embodied experiences; caregiver experiences; management of illness, symptoms, and activities; guilt, beliefs, and stigma associated with smoking; and perceptions of illness and advance care planning. Each of these are described, with examples from the literature, and discussed with considerations for persons with COPD and health care professionals in their practice.