Background: The study assessed the value of the Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale-Self Report (PAIS-SR) in determining the psychosocial impact of impairment and disability in patients with chronic irreversible airflow limitation.
Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients admitted to respiratory rehabilitation were studied. Psychosocial adjustment was measured with the PAIS-SR and was judged separately by two health-care workers on the rehabilitation team. Agreement between the PAIS-SR and the health-care workers was determined using the Kappa statistic.
Results: Four subjects did not complete the questionnaire. The data from 52 subjects were analyzed. The mean forced expired volume in one second (FEV1) was 1.2 +/- 0.4 L. The mean age was 66.4 +/- 9.0 years. There was good agreement between the individual assessment of each health-care worker (P < 0.001). There was good agreement between the score on the PAIS-SR and the clinical assessment by each of the health-care workers (P < 0.001). However, there were 10 subjects who identified severe adjustment difficulties that were not recognized by the health-care professionals.
Conclusion: Although there was agreement between the PAIS-SR and clinical judgment in assessing the psychosocial impact impairment and disability in chronic airflow limitation, the PAIS-SR may identify individuals with adjustment difficulties not recognized by members of the health-care team. The results support the routine use of objective measures to assess the psychosocial impact of chronic airflow limitation.