The relationship between the severity of disease and dyspnea of COPD patients admitted to the emergency department and the level of fear of COVİD-19 and death anxiety

Dyspnea is one of the most common symptoms in individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Individuals with COPD, who constantly encounter symptoms, complications and attacks related to the disease and the disease, may experience intense death anxiety. The new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) is an epidemic that has deadly consequences and creates fear in humans. The study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the severity of the disease and dyspnea and the fear of COVID-19 and death anxiety levels in individuals diagnosed with COPD. This descriptive-relationship-seeking study was conducted with 144 patients aged 40 and over who were admitted to the Tokat State Hospital Emergency Service between February 15, 2021 and April 1, 2021. Personal Information Form, Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (MRC), Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale, COPD Assessment Test-CAT, Fear of COVID-19 Scale, The Scale of Death Anxiety were used to collect the data of the study. Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation, Chi-Square Test, Kruskal Wallis Analysis of Variance, One Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were used for statistical evaluation. The mean age of the individuals in the study was 66,39±9,72COPD Assessment Test-CAT score was found to be high in 56 patients and very high in 35 patients. It was determined that 88.9% of the individuals in the study were diagnosed with 1st degree relatives of COVID-19, %95.1 of their neighbors were diagnosed with COVID-19, and %43.8 were diagnosed with COVID-19 themselves. In the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the total mean score obtained by the patients is 16.92±6.36. The Minimum and Maximum values of the scale were found to be 7.00 and 29.00, respectively. In the study, 52 patients' fear of death level was found to be heavy on the Scale of Death Anxiety. While 48 patients had a mild fear of death, 44 patients had a moderate level of fear of death. 57 of the patients have severe dyspnea. A statistically significant difference was found between the death anxiety of the patients according to gender, occupation and smoking status (p < 0.05). Fear of death scores were found to be statistically significant according to COPD duration, degree, frequency of hospital admission, presence of chronic disease, receiving oxygen and nebula treatment at home, being diagnosed with COVID-19, being isolated, and anxiety levels related to COVID-19 transmission (p < 0.05). A statistically significant relationship was found between the severity of dyspnea and the mean scores of death anxiety and fear of COVID-19 in individuals with COPD (p < 0.05). Most COPD patients have high levels of death and COVID-19 fear. Being a housewife and woman, COPD and chronic disease characteristics should be carefully evaluated in terms of Death Anxiety and fear of COVID-19. It is suggested that the levels of fear COVID-19 and death anxiety of COPD patients be evaluated and planned training should be provided for the management. Keywords: COPD, Dyspnea, Fear of COVID-19, Death Anxiety.