Psychological distress and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Renfrew and Paisley (MIDSPAN) study

Pembroke, T.P.I., Rasul, F., Hart, C., Davey Smith, G. and Stansfeld, S.A. (2006) Psychological distress and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Renfrew and Paisley (MIDSPAN) study. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 60(9), pp. 789-792. (doi: 10.1136/jech.2005.042150)

Abstract

Background: This study examined whether psychological distress might be a predictor of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Method: The relation between psychological distress at baseline, measured by the general health questionnaire (GHQ), and chronic bronchitis three years later, as measured by the Medical Research Council (MRC) bronchitis questionnaire and forced expiratory flow in one second (FEV1), was examined in 1682 men and 2203 women from the Renfrew and Paisley (MIDSPAN) study. The analyses were run on men and women separately and adjustments were made for age, socioeconomic position, and lung function at baseline (FEV1). People with chronic diseases at baseline were then excluded to give a "healthy" baseline cohort. The effect of psychological distress on individual components of the MRC bronchitis questionnaire and FEV1 was also assessed. Results: In multivariate analyses of the whole cohort baseline psychological distress in women was associated with reduced FEV1 at follow up (OR 1.31 95% CI 1.0 to 1.73) after adjustment. In women, in the healthy cohort, psychological distress was associated with chronic bronchitis (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.16 to 3.46), symptoms of bronchial infection (OR 2.14, 95% CI 1.44 to 3.19), symptoms of breathlessness (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.99 to 4.59), and reduced FEV1 (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.32). In men psychological distress predicted symptoms of bronchial infection (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.28 to 3.42). Conclusion: This study supports research suggesting that psychological distress is associated with COPD and shows that psychological distress predicts COPD in women. The robustness of the association and the exact mechanism requires further investigation.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: psychological distress; GHQ; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; MIDSPAN study
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hart, Dr Carole and Davey Smith, Professor George
• Authors: Pembroke, T.P.I., Rasul, F., Hart, C., Davey Smith, G., and Stansfeld, S.A.
• Subjects: R Medicine > RC Internal medicine; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing > Centre for Population and Health Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > General Practice and Primary Care
• Research Group: Midspan
• Journal Name: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• ISSN: 0143-005X
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2006 BMJ Publishing Group
• First Published: First published in Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 60(9):789-792
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher