Effects of anxiety and depression symptom levels and religious coping strategies on disease severity in chronic obstructive lung patients

Aim: This study aims to investigate the frequency and severity of depression and anxiety symptoms, coping strategies employed to manage these symptoms, and the impact of religious coping levels on anxiety, depression, and disease severity in patients with COPD experiencing disease progression and increased exacerbation frequency. Materials and Methods: 118 patients diagnosed with COPD, who applied to Hitit University Faculty of Medicine Erol Olçok Training and Research Hospital Chest Diseases Clinic between September 2023 and December 2023, were asked to fill out the Religious Coping Scale, Beck depression inventory and State-Trait Anxiety Scale. mMRC and CAT questionnaires were filled out to determine the disease severity levels of the patients. Results: 76.3% of the patients were male and the average age was 64,4±9,7 years. 78,8% of patients have additional chronic diseases along with COPD. The average CAT scores of the patients were calculated as 16,3±9,6. The patients Beck depression scores were 22,0±12,2, STAI-S, state anxiety scores were 39,9±10,1, STAI-T average was 39,9±10,1, and trait anxiety scores were 44,8±10,6. Positive religious coping scores were calculated as 20.8±4.7, negative religious coping scores were calculated as 8.4 ±2.1. When we compared the Beck depression inventory, STAI-S and STAI-T values of the patients according to their COPD stages, a statistically significant difference was found between the three groups (p <0,05). When we compared the positive religious coping values of the patients according to their COPD stages, a statistically significant difference was found between the three groups (p <0.05). When we compared the negative religious coping values of the patients according to their COPD stage, the difference between the stage 1- 2 patients and the stage 3 patient group was found to be significant (p<0,05). Conclusion: We observed elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety even in COPD patients without a psychiatric history. This may be associated with concerns about the disease being progressive and irreversible. In our study, we found higher religious coping values in patients with severe COPD. Religiosity and spirituality are seen as a strategy VI that can help people cope with chronic diseases. Patients may both seek support by taking refuge in their religious beliefs and feel punished, thinking that their illness is a kind of punishment.