@article {Weldam1408, author = {Saskia Weldam and Jan-Willem Lammers and Monique Heijmans and Marieke Schuurmans}, title = {Perceived quality of life in COPD patients: The role of illness perceptions}, volume = {44}, number = {Suppl 58}, elocation-id = {1408}, year = {2014}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {Background:In explaining differences in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in COPD patients illness perceptions are considered important. According to the Common Sense Model individual{\textquoteright}s illness perceptions include specific dimensions concerning beliefs about: consequences, timeline, ability to control the disease, ability to control the treatment, symptoms, comprehensibility, emotional response and concerns.The objective of this study is to analyze the extent to which the dimensions of illness perceptions contribute to HRQoL.Method:In a cross-sectional study in primary care, 90 COPD patients(GOLD1-3) completed the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, Medical Research Council dyspnea scale, Clinical COPD Questionnaire(CCQ) and the Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire(CRQ). Analyses were performed with multiple linear regression.Results:When corrected for confounders (airflow reduction, dyspnea and comorbidities) identity (β=.42) and comprehensibility (β= -.16 ) were associated with HRQoL(CCQ). They explain 56\% of the variation in HRQL. Consequences (β=-.50) and treatment control (β=.20) were associated with CRQ physical. They explain 59\% of the variation in CRQ physical. Emotional response (β= -.33) was associated with CRQ emotional. Airflowlimitation and comorbidities were not significant.Conclusion:COPD patients who experience less symptoms attributed to COPD, who have a better understanding of the disease, who experience less impact of COPD, who experience treatment control and who have less emotional response, have a better HRQoL which is not explained by FEV1 or comorbidities.This study provides the starting point of an illness perception intervention, which we are currently developing.}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/1408}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }