Writing About Disease: Effect on Rehabilitation?

Asthma, COPD

copd, asthma, QoL, Perceived health status, Trait anxiety

Therapeutic writing about one's emotions has been described previously (J Pennebaker: Emotions, disclosure and health. Am Psychol. Assoc 1995). The present project will compare the effects (if any) of writing about the emotional versus the physical consequences of lung disease on anxiety, perceived quality of life, and perceived health status.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients (age 35-70) and asthma patients (age 20-60) referred to a 4 weeks inpatient rehabilitation program - who agree to participate in the project - are randomly assigned to one of three conditions: * Writing about emotional consequences of their disease before the program starts * Writing about physical consequences of their disease before the program starts * Not writing All patients are measured (completing questionnaires at home) on: perceived quality of life, perceived health status and trait anxiety - 2 weeks before the program, 2 weeks after the program and 6 months after the program. FEV1 and 6 min walking distance are measured at the beginning and by the end of the program. In addition to questionnaires, all patients are asked to: * Write in their own words ( 2 weeks after) to evaluate their stay at the rehabilitation clinic; and * Write in their own words (6 months after) about how the disease affects their life at that point. Both quantitative and qualitative data will be used for analysis purposes.

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