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The purpose of this study was to understand the general condition of the physical symptoms, functional status, and uncertainty of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and their relationships with personal attributes, and explore their predictors. The sample subjects were consisted of out-patients with COPD from a medical center in Southern Taiwan. The constructed questionnaires were utilized to interview the subjects, the questionnaires contained four instruments including personal The results showed that patients with COPD had mod-level of physical sympto ms and mild-level impaired functional status. The subjects also had above-mod-level sense of uncertainty. Gender, marital status, severity of pulmonary obstruction and oxygen therapy at home were found to be significantly related with physical symptoms. Age, occupation, marital status, frequency of hospitalization, severity of pulmonary obstruction and oxygen therapy at home had significant differences in functional status. Moreover,
Keywords: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Physical symptoms, Functional status, Uncertainty.
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