Stigma towards Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: To Help or To Judge?

Abstract

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), the third leading cause of mortality worldwide, is a highly incapacitating irrevocable health problem, with pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations. According to Suzanne Hurd and Claude Lenfant, it is “the only chronic disease for which the finger of blame can be pointed to a single risk factor – tobacco smoking”. However, only 15-20% of smokers are afflicted. Whereas smoking is far from being the only cause, substantial proportion of COPD cases cannot be explained by smoking alone. The visibility of distressing and frightening physical manifestations of symptoms leads to serious ‘‘observable’’ consequences, such as disability or lack of control, public use of oxygen and rescue inhalers. As a result “they are disqualified from full social acceptance”. However, the stigma is not the only factor responsible for the miseries of those with COPD. In fact, there are many misconceptions in this scenario which have been discussed. The need of a huge awareness campaign for the public to improve their understanding of lung diseases (notably COPD) has been highlighted. The patient, healthcare professionals and the health services should be prepared to play their new role in the management of a chronic disease like COPD “requiring “ongoing management over a period of years or decades”. The importance of a self-management strategy has been emphasised.