COPD depicted – patients drawing their lungs

Abstract

BackgroundGiven the increasing importance of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) in quality medical care, we examined the value and feasibility of an innovative method for assessing patients’ illness perceptions, represented in drawings made by patients with COPD of their lungs.AimThe aim of our study was: to study patients’ representation of COPD as reflected in their drawings of their lungs; and to examine scores on a validated measure that assesses illness perceptions (ie, Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire [B-IPQ]).Patients and methodsOne hundred outpatients with COPD, mean age 70 years, selected from a pharmacy database, participated and 98 filled out the B-IPQ. Eighty-seven patients completed the drawing task.ResultsThe illness perceptions as reflected in the responses to the B-IPQ scales represented a quite optimistic view of COPD and its consequences. The drawings of the lungs reflected a considerable discordance between patients’ representations and medically accepted representations of lungs of a person with COPD.ConclusionAssessing illness perceptions in clinical care and research about COPD offers opportunities to identify goals for patient education and self-management. Inviting patients to draw their illness is an innovative and promising approach to assessing PRO.

Looking bad: Female patients drawing their representation of chemotherapy-induced alopecia

“…With respect to the physical change, the researcher (AV) observed that patients’ drawings depicted more extreme hair loss than expected, when seeing the amount of hair during the personal meeting with the patient. This was also observed in other drawing studies, notwithstanding the fact that hair loss is visible to the patient, rather than the invisible lung or heart damage or disturbed blood cells (sickle cell disease and thalassemia) (Broadbent et al, 2009; Hoogerwerf et al, 2012; Kaptein et al, 2017; Nowicka-Sauer, 2007; Ramondt et al, 2016). In the literature, drawing size is frequently associated with illness perceptions and therefore the experienced severity and impact.…”

“…Illness perceptions can be distinguished into five domains: identity (illness and symptoms), timeline, consequences, perceived control, and cause. These illness perceptions are frequently obtained using questionnaires such as the Brief-Illness Perception Questionnaire (B-IPQ) (Kaptein et al, 2017). A relatively novel method to assess this perception is the use of drawings as already done in for example, diabetes, sickle cell disease or lung cancer.…”

“…Drawings show the patients’ uncensored view, contribute to additional insight in the perception of the illness, and show great variety in this perception among patients (Broadbent et al, 2009; Hoogerwerf et al, 2012; Nowicka-Sauer, 2007; Ramondt et al, 2016). In addition, drawings overcome the limitation of predetermined categories in questionnaires (Kaptein et al, 2017; Nowicka-Sauer, 2007; Ramondt et al, 2016). Research shows that emotional responses are most commonly expressed in facial expressions (Broadbent et al, 2019).…”

Artwork from military personnel, Veterans, and their family members

“…Regular music therapy also helped with management of the anxiety, depression and fatigue that is often associated with the condition (903,904). Studies asking patients to draw their lungs have found that this can highlight any discrepancies between patients' stage of disease and their understanding of their disease (905).…”

Current Status of the Application of the Empowerment Theory in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

“…The department of health clearly pointed out that quitting smoking could prevent and avoid exacerbation of COPD [27]. Kaptein, Tiemensma, Broadbent, Asijee, and Voorhaar [28] tested the feasibility of the innovative approach by asking people with COPD to draw pictures, the picture asked the patient to draw their cognitive lungs, accompanied by a short disease perception questionnaire (Brief-Illness Perception Questionnaire, B-IPQ) to assess patients' awareness of their disease, eighty-seven of them completed the drawing and believed that COPD was related to smoking and truly accepted to quit smoking. Similarly, Wenters and Bygholm [29] browsed COPD patients' communication posts on the site, finding smoking and exercise were the most talked about topics among the 398 patients, who said it was important to change habits and lifestyles and believed that quitting smoking and exercising could prolong their lives.…”