Abstract
Introduction
Many COPD patients do not receive a diagnosis until it is relatively advanced. It is estimated that for every one patient that has been diagnosed there are four that are not known to the health service. In conjunction with World COPD Day in 2011, our COPD Outreach team promoted this event by performing spirometry on patients, staff and visitors at the main hospital entrance, to raise public awareness and to find the 'missing millions'.
Aims and Objectives
To raise public awareness of COPD and to detect people with undiagnosed COPD.
Method
The day was advertised in the Trust Talking Point and the Trust Press release. Flyers were posted around the hospital. 4 stands were set up in the main atrium of the JCUH, with spirometers and COPD nurse specialists to perform spirometry. Volunteers completed a questionnaire focussing on their smoking history, symptoms of COPD, history of comorbidities and contraindications to performing spirometry. Individuals with abnormal spirometry were provided a letter for their primary care physicians, to undergo repeat testing or further investigations if appropriate.
Results
Out of the 75 volunteers tested, only 9% (n=7) were noted to have abnormal spirometry results. 5% (n=4) of the volunteers had a prior history of air flow obstruction. Therefore only 4% (n=3) of the volunteers screened were found to have abnormal recordings.
Conclusion
Random screening doesn't capture a large population of people with abnormal spirometry. Screening needs to be more selective e.g.individuals over the age of 35 with a smoking history or symptoms suggestive of COPD. Where our screening did raise awareness of COPD within the general public, it didn't diagnose a large number of people with COPD.
- © 2012 ERS