Prevalence of physical disability in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and associated risk factors.

INTRODUCTION: To analyze the prevalence of disability among patients with COPD as compared to people without this lung disease and to identify sociodemographic and health factors associated with these physical limitations.

METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study based on data taken from the European Health Interview Survey for Spain (EHISS) 2009. The survey included adults aged 40 to 79 years (n = 13624). We identified patients with COPD using a direct question from the survey. The main study variable was disability, including basic activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities (IADLs), and mobility disability (MD). Independent variables analyzed included socio-demographic characteristics, self-perceived health status, presence of mental disease and co-morbid chronic conditions and lifestyles.

RESULTS: The overall prevalence of self-reported COPD was 7.2%. The total prevalence of ADL, IADL and MD was higher among men suffering COPD than among the population without this disease (16.39% vs. 4.91%; 27.70% vs. 12.45%; 48.94% vs. 17.46% respectively). These significant differences were also observed among women with equivalent figures of: 23.25% vs. 8.71%; 31.03% vs. 10.53%; 64.83% vs. 34.08%. Being older, having a self-perceived health status of "fair/poor/very poor" and suffering from mental disease (anxiety and/or depression) were factors associated with a higher probability of reporting any disability in both men and women suffering from COPD.

CONCLUSIONS: Higher rates of disability were seen among COPD patients compared to the general population. Among COPD patients older age, depression, anxiety and worse self-rated health were associated with higher disability.