TABLE 1

Research needs

To study the relationship between the COPD patient's home environment and the informal  caregiving process
To study the influence of informal caregiving on the use of healthcare resources by patients with COPD
To study the influence of the lifestyle of informal caregivers on the patient's adherence to medical  regimens
To study the relationship between lifestyle factors in patients with COPD and their resident loved ones
To investigate informal caregivers’ burden
To investigate informal caregivers’ knowledge about COPD
To investigate whether and to what extent informal caregivers’ burden, health and mood status are  influenced by exacerbation-related hospital admissions
To study the impact of communication between COPD patients and their informal caregivers on general  well-being
To investigate the extent to which informal caregivers of patients with COPD have adapted the family  system to the limitations and needs of their chronically ill loved ones
To investigate the differences between COPD patients’ and informal caregivers’ perceptions of patients’  health status
To prospectively study the effects of a COPD exacerbation on informal caregivers’ perceptions of the  patients’ health status

  • COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.