Association of disease knowledge and management on sedentary time and physical inactivity in individuals with COPD
Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent airway obstruction and systemic manifestations, leading to symptoms such as dyspnea and fatigue, which contribute to a typical behavior of physical inactivity and high sedentary time in daily life. However, it is still unclear whether disease knowledge has any correlation with this behavior. Aim: To identify whether the level of knowledge and disease self-management in individuals with COPD are correlated with higher levels of sedentary behavior, physical inactivity, or both. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study including individuals with COPD who underwent assessment of physical activity in daily life over seven consecutive days using an accelerometer. Additionally, pulmonary function was assessed by spirometry, and disease knowledge was evaluated using the Understanding COPD (UCOPD) and the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Adapted Index of Self-Efficacy (PRAISE) questionnaires. Results: 34 individuals with COPD were analyzed (17 men, 69±6 years, FEV 1 48±19% predict). Only weak or non-existing and not statistically significant correlations were observed between time spent/day in activities of moderate-to-vigorous intensity (MVPA) and the PRAISE and UCOPD questionnaires (r = 0.25 and 0.10, respectively, p > 0.05 for both), as well as between sedentary time and the same instruments (r = -0.05 and 0.25, respectively, p >0.05 for both). Conclusion: In individuals with COPD, the level of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are not well correlated with the knowledge and self-management of the disease