{"title":"Sub-Optimal Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Management in India: Findings from a Community-Based Study.","authors":"Prashant Jarhyan, Anastasia Hutchinson, Rajesh Khatkar, Dorairaj Prabhakaran, Sailesh Mohan","doi":"10.2147/COPD.S499792","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>Despite the second most common cause of disease burden, there are few studies reporting the prevalence, awareness, and treatment rates of COPD in India.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among people aged ≥40 years residing in rural and urban areas of Sonipat district in North India using a multistage random sampling technique. COPD was defined as self-reported physician diagnosed COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis or being on treatment for COPD. Additional cases were detected using a validated sequential screening strategy, ie, administering the Lung Function Questionnaire (LFQ) followed by the pocket spirometry and confirmation by post-bronchodilation spirometry. Awareness was defined as self-reported diagnosed cases of COPD or self-reported treatment. Treatment was defined as self-reported intake of oral or inhalational corticosteroids and/or bronchodilators. Trained Community Health Workers interviewed the study participants using a paper-based validated questionnaire, screened for COPD with the LFQ and conducted the pocket spirometry. Confirmation of COPD using post-bronchodilation gold standard spirometry was conducted by trained physician researchers. Age-standardized estimates were calculated for the prevalence, awareness, and treatment of COPD.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The overall age-standardised prevalence of COPD in our study was 8.6% (95% CI: 7.5-9.8) with higher prevalence in men and rural population. The overall awareness of COPD was 75.1% (95% CI: 68.5-80.7) with lower awareness among people who ever-smoked [33.9% (32.0-35.8)], currently smoked [29.6% (27.8-31.5)] and among those with post-bronchodilator confirmed diagnosis of mild COPD (4.8%). Less than half (45.7%) of participants with COPD reported taking bronchodilators and/or corticosteroids.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The awareness-treatment gap in COPD was high in the study population. There is a need to strengthen the public health system along with systematic training of health care providers to provide appropriate treatment to people with COPD.</p>","PeriodicalId":48818,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease","volume":"20 ","pages":"2131-2142"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12227001/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S499792","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"RESPIRATORY SYSTEM","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background and objective: Despite the second most common cause of disease burden, there are few studies reporting the prevalence, awareness, and treatment rates of COPD in India.
Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among people aged ≥40 years residing in rural and urban areas of Sonipat district in North India using a multistage random sampling technique. COPD was defined as self-reported physician diagnosed COPD, emphysema, chronic bronchitis or being on treatment for COPD. Additional cases were detected using a validated sequential screening strategy, ie, administering the Lung Function Questionnaire (LFQ) followed by the pocket spirometry and confirmation by post-bronchodilation spirometry. Awareness was defined as self-reported diagnosed cases of COPD or self-reported treatment. Treatment was defined as self-reported intake of oral or inhalational corticosteroids and/or bronchodilators. Trained Community Health Workers interviewed the study participants using a paper-based validated questionnaire, screened for COPD with the LFQ and conducted the pocket spirometry. Confirmation of COPD using post-bronchodilation gold standard spirometry was conducted by trained physician researchers. Age-standardized estimates were calculated for the prevalence, awareness, and treatment of COPD.
Results: The overall age-standardised prevalence of COPD in our study was 8.6% (95% CI: 7.5-9.8) with higher prevalence in men and rural population. The overall awareness of COPD was 75.1% (95% CI: 68.5-80.7) with lower awareness among people who ever-smoked [33.9% (32.0-35.8)], currently smoked [29.6% (27.8-31.5)] and among those with post-bronchodilator confirmed diagnosis of mild COPD (4.8%). Less than half (45.7%) of participants with COPD reported taking bronchodilators and/or corticosteroids.
Conclusion: The awareness-treatment gap in COPD was high in the study population. There is a need to strengthen the public health system along with systematic training of health care providers to provide appropriate treatment to people with COPD.
期刊介绍:
An international, peer-reviewed journal of therapeutics and pharmacology focusing on concise rapid reporting of clinical studies and reviews in COPD. Special focus will be given to the pathophysiological processes underlying the disease, intervention programs, patient focused education, and self management protocols. This journal is directed at specialists and healthcare professionals