International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Relationship, Intimacy and Sexual Health in COPD: Dyadic Processes, Biopsychosocial Perspectives and Interventions

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive condition that impacts patients lives far beyond respiratory impairment, limiting everyday functioning, changing identity and influencing interpersonal relationships. Increasingly, attention has turned toward how COPD influences relationship dynamics, intimacy and sexual health. These domains are central to quality of life but have historically been underexplored in respiratory research. This article collection seeks to advance a comprehensive understanding of how COPD intersects with relational and sexual wellbeing within a biopsychosocial framework. It emphasises both individual and dyadic perspectives, recognising that COPD affects not only those diagnosed but also their partners and broader relational contexts.

The topic of this Article Collection has direct implications for good patient care and patient-centered outcomes in COPD. While traditional clinical management often prioritises physiological symptoms, evidence suggests that relational and sexual wellbeing significantly influence mental health, treatment adherence and overall quality of life. Unaddressed challenges in intimacy and partnership can contribute to social isolation, psychological distress and reduced coping capacity for both patients and partners. Conversely, supportive relationships and adaptive dyadic coping strategies can enhance resilience and facilitate adjustment to chronic illness. Despite this, healthcare systems frequently overlook these dimensions due to stigma, lack of training, or limited evidence-based guidance. By consolidating research in this area, this collection aims to inform clinical practice, promote open dialogue and support the development of interventions that address relational and sexual health as integral components of COPD care.

This collection welcomes research spanning a broad range of topics related to relationship dynamics, intimacy, and sexual health in COPD. Relevant subtopics include but not limit to dyadic coping and adjustment, communication patterns, caregiver-partner experiences, sexual function and wellbeing, and the influence of gender and sex differences. Studies addressing diverse relationship forms – including heterosexual and same-sex partnerships – are encouraged, as are investigations focusing exclusively on partners. The collection also invites work on multimorbidity within individuals and couples, exploring how co-occurring conditions shape relational and sexual outcomes. Both descriptive and interventional research are within scope, including studies evaluating psychosocial, behavioral or clinical interventions. Submissions may include original research articles (quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods), systematic and narrative reviews, brief reports and perspectives, provided they align with the journal’s focus on COPD and contribute to advancing knowledge in this emerging and clinically relevant field.

Keywords

• Chronic respiratory disease
• Intimacy or intimate relations
• Sexual wellbeing
• Dyadic coping
• Partnership

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisor for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member).

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 March 2027.

Please contact Zhiyuan Zhang at [email protected] with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Dr. Ingeborg Farver-Vestergaard is a clinical psychologist and an associate professor in health psychology and respiratory care. She has conducted and supervised several studies within the field of sexual health and chronic respiratory conditions.

Dr. Yoon Frederiksen is a clinical psychologist, certified in health psychology as well as clinical sexology. She is an associate professor in health psychology and clinical sexology.

Prof. Anders Løkke is a respiratory physician and a professor of intersectorial research and care. He has conducted and supervised numerous clinical and epidemiological studies focusing on biopsychosocial aspects and interventions in respiratory diseases, mainly COPD.