Use of EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire to assess quality of life at chronic pulmonary obstructive disease (COPD)

The psychosocial aspects of the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have been studied from a Quality of Life perspective, but few useful instruments have been developed in this field. This paper presents an assesment of the questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30. Two groups of patients (32 COPD subjects in a stable phase and 32 COPD subjects in an acute phase of the disease) completed the questionnaire. EORTC QLQ-C30 provided different answer profiles for different medical conditions, it also showed good reliability indices and it had an acceptable predictive capacity for affective disorders (anxiety and depression in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). The study concludes that this questionnaire may be used as a basis for elaborating a specific instrument for this population. Furthermore, the data obtained supply evidence of the severe vital impairment that COPD may involve.