Respiratory Disorders and Behavioral Research

Respiratory disorders can have a severe impact on the lives of patients and their families. The interplay between treatment, patients' perceptions and management of their illness, and the medical, psychological and social outcomes of this are examined.

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Respiratory disorders can have a severe impact on the daily lives of patients and their families. Increasingly, medical practitioners are recognizing the importance of psychological factors in the assessment and management of disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis and tuberculosis. Researchers are studying the interplay between medical treatment, patients' perceptions and management of their illness and the medical, psychological and social outcomes of this. This volume draws together theoretical issues and empirical findings from current research on the behavioral aspects of respiratory disorders. This book can stimulate new research and more collaborative work between psychologists, physicians, nurses, health educators, physiotherapists and patients. Medics, nurses and other clinical practitioners will also find it useful, as will those working in the behavioral sciences, health promotion or health psychology with an interest in respiratory disorders.