A Self-Management Program for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Relationship to Dyspnea and Self-Efficacy

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effects of a nurse-directed self-management program on dyspnea and self-efficacy levels in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The Health Belief Model and the Theory of Self-Efficacy provided the theoretical framework for the study. The sample included 10 COPD patients from rural North Carolina who attended a 6-week nurse-directed self-management program. Dyspnea and self-efficacy were measured before and after the program by using a vertical visual analogue scale for dyspnea and the COPD Self-Efficacy Scale. A single-group quasi-experimental design that incorporated a pretest and a posttest was used. Paired t tests were used to compare the pretest and the posttest levels of dyspnea and self-efficacy. The findings revealed no significant change in levels of dyspnea after the program. Levels of self-efficacy, however, were found to have increased at a statistically significant level (p < .001) following the program. This study indicates that using a group teaching method to teach self-management skills improved self-efficacy levels.