Background: Dyspnea is a debilitative condition that often affects chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Enhancing the efficacy of patient self‐management strategies for dyspnea is thus a very important issue. Purpose: This study explores the correlation between the health locus of control and dyspnea self‐management strategies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods: Using a cross‐section descriptive correlational approach, researchers enrolled a total of 200 COPD patients treated at a local teaching hospital in South Taiwan as participants. We used demographics and a post‐physical‐activity dyspnea survey forms to assess patient characteristics and the Multi‐Dimensional Health Locus of Control and Dyspnea Self‐Management Strategies scales to collect study data. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0. Results: ”Powerful others” earned the highest locus of control orientation score (28.05 ± 6.07) followed by internal locus of control (25.02 ± 9.01). ”Chance” earned the lowest score (20.83 ± 9.78). We also found a positive correlation between internal locus of control and dyspnea self‐management strategies (p = .001) and negative correlations between the ”chance” and ”powerful others” locus of control and dyspnea self-management strategies (p = .001). Multiple linear regression analysis results showed the significant impact of internal locus control and ”chance” on the frequency and effectiveness of using dyspnea self‐management strategies. (p < .05) Conclusion: There is a correlation between health locus of control and dyspnea self‐management strategies. Those with better internal loci of control were found to have better relative dyspnea self‐management strategies. This conclusion may be applied in clinical practice to improve self‐management effectiveness.
Background: Dyspnea is a debilitative condition that often affects chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Enhancing the efficacy of patient self‐management strategies for dyspnea is thus a very important issue. Purpose: This study explores the correlation between the health locus of control and dyspnea self‐management strategies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Methods: Using a cross‐section descriptive correlational approach, researchers enrolled a total of 200 COPD patients treated at a local teaching hospital in South Taiwan as participants. We used demographics and a post‐physical‐activity dyspnea survey forms to assess patient characteristics and the Multi‐Dimensional Health Locus of Control and Dyspnea Self‐Management Strategies scales to collect study data. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0. Results: ”Powerful others” earned the highest locus of control orientation score (28.05 ± 6.07) followed by internal locus of control (25.02 ± 9.01). ”Chance” earned the lowest score (20.83 ± 9.78). We also found a positive correlation between internal locus of control and dyspnea self‐management strategies (p = .001) and negative correlations between the ”chance” and ”powerful others” locus of control and dyspnea self-management strategies (p = .001). Multiple linear regression analysis results showed the significant impact of internal locus control and ”chance” on the frequency and effectiveness of using dyspnea self‐management strategies. (p < .05) Conclusion: There is a correlation between health locus of control and dyspnea self‐management strategies. Those with better internal loci of control were found to have better relative dyspnea self‐management strategies. This conclusion may be applied in clinical practice to improve self‐management effectiveness.