First, a crude model was developed with the separate psychological determinants (illness perceptions, proactive coping, and depressive symptoms) (model 1).
The means, standard deviations, range of illness perceptions, proactive coping, depressive symptoms, dyspnea, FEV1, DA, and HRQoL are presented in Table 2.
In this study, we explored the extent to which the combination of illness perceptions, proactive coping, and depressive symptoms contribute to DA and HRQoL in COPD patients.
In model 2, where the psychological determinants illness perceptions, proactive coping, and depressive symptoms were combined and corrected for the confounders age and gender, only illness perceptions (β = -.22) and age (β = -.25) were associated with DA.
In the third model, the combination of the psychological determinants illness perceptions, proactive coping, and depressive symptoms were corrected for the confounders age, gender, dyspnea, FEV1, smoking status, and co-morbidity.
In this cross-sectional study, we will explore the extent to which the combination of these psychological factors (illness perceptions, proactive coping, and depressive symptoms) contribute to DA and HRQoL in COPD patients in primary care.
Our previous study of COPD patients in a primary care setting, which explored the extent to which the combination of illness perceptions, proactive coping and depressive symptoms contribute to daily activities and HRQoL, revealed that illness perceptions are associated with HRQoL.
Linear regression analyses (adjusted for the confounders age, gender, dyspnea, FEV1, smoking status, and co-morbidity) were applied to quantify the associations between illness perceptions, proactive coping, and depressive symptoms, on the one hand, and DA and QoL, on the other hand.
The illustrative example assesses the impact of air pollution abatement policies according to expert perceptions using proactive scenarios; the results revealed that, despite some positive changes, air protection activities are missing an overall strategic vision.
Politicians seem eager to look proactive, especially given the perception that hedge funds and private equity firms are getting away with stuff off-limits to ordinary investors.
