Review Article - Journal of Public Health Policy and Planning (2020) Volume 4, Issue 1

Mental co-morbidities and psychosocial support in COPD patients within the pulmonary rehabilitation

The aim of this article is to highlight the importance of psychological concurrent illnesses within pneumological rehabilitation, based on selected studies. The mental co-morbidities of COPD patients increase morbidity, mortality, frequent exacerbations, reduced quality of life, as well as physical and social functioning, below-average smoking cessation success, increased need for outpatient and inpatient interventions, and extended hospital stay, resulting in increased hospital costs. Pulmonary rehabilitation should be based on a multimodal, integral therapeutic approach in which, in addition to pneumology-medical treatment, therapeutic elements from psychological care (patient education, COPD patient training) and psychotherapy are combined.

Author(s): Eva Korpova*, Viola Vargova, Natalia Vanova

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