Effect of psychological status on respiratory symptoms

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether psychological status affects respiratory symptom reporting and objective measures of the respiratory system. Materials and Methods: This study was performed in 1090 male gun factory workers and in 420 women exposed to biomass. The subjects were questioned using a Respiratory questionnaire. Respiratory functions were measured by portable spirometer. Psychological status was measured by HAD scale. Groups with high HAD total scores and low HAD total scores were classified by the median value. Results: In males: Chronic cough (17.6% vs. 10.7% p=0.001), chronic phlegm (13.2% vs. 8.9%, p=0.02), and probable asthma (39.5% vs. 25.5%, p=0.0001) were significantly more frequent in the group with high HAD total scores than in the group with low HAD total scores but definite asthma was not (6.2% vs. 4.6%, p=0.2). In women: Chronic cough (34.8% vs. 23.5% p=0.009), chronic phlegm (23.9% vs. 15.4%, p=0.02), and probable asthma (53.5% vs. 35.3%, p=0.0001) were significantly more frequent in the group with high HAD total scores than in the group with low HAD total scores but definite asthma was not (7.0% vs. 9.0%, p=0.4). Conclusion: Psychological status might affect the frequency of symptom reporting in respiratory questionnaires. The questionnaires and psychological status indices should be interpreted simultaneously.