The association for knowledge for the effect of respiratory infection, preventive action, and prevention of exacerbation in patients with COPD

Abstract

Background: In Japan, few studies have examined how patients with COPD engage in preventive behaviours against respiratory infections and how this is associated with COPD exacerbation. The aim of this research was to clarify how knowledge about respiratory infection is associated with preventive behaviours and the prevention of exacerbation in patients with COPD. Methods: Subjects were patients who visited the Department of Respiratory Medicine in three medical facilities, including a university hospital. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 61 patients diagnosed with COPD. Covariance structured analysis was conducted using SPSS version 24.0, Amos 9.0. This research was approved by the Clinical Research Support Committee, Fukuoka University. Findings: 68 of the subjects were male (82.9%) and 14 female (17.1%). 56 (68.3%) were 70 years old and older. BMI of 14 subjects (17.0%) was below 18.0 kg/m 2 and eight (9.8%) were using home oxygen therapy. A latent variable, "knowledge", was associated with "preventive behaviour". There was no association between "preventive behaviour" and "the number of respiratory infection", yet, the "number of hospitalisations" for pneumonia and other diseases was low among those who had "knowledge". Goodness