November is the Month for COPD Awareness

November 13, 2008

The facts speak for themselves:

• Today, the NHLBI has announced that public awareness of COPD is growing, with 64% of respondents having heard of the disease compared with only 49% in a 2004 survey.
• COPD is currently the fourth leading cause of death worldwide, affecting at least 10 percent of all adults over the age of 40.
• More than 600 million people around the world are suffering with COPD today, many of them undiagnosed and untreated.
• In the United States, about 10 million people have been diagnosed with the condition, but when undiagnosed cases are considered, the real number of people affected is probably closer to 24 million.
• Worldwide, COPD is expected to be the third leading cause of death by 2020.

November is a great time for respiratory therapists to raise awareness of these statistics and what they mean to chronic lung disease patients in their facilities and communities, as the nation celebrates National COPD Awareness Month and the world marks World COPD Day on the 19th.

The theme for the world event is “Breathless not Helpless,” and we can ensure our patients get the message by:

• Hosting a spirometry screening to inform our community of the role this important test plays in diagnosing COPD.
• Offering a smoking cessation clinic specifically for COPD patients to highlight the key role smoking cessation plays in treating the condition.
• Holding a clinic to explain correct use of MDIs/DPIs to COPD patients using these medications.
• Scheduling an informative lecture for COPD patients who have been newly diagnosed to assist them in better understanding the disease.

You can find many other great ideas, plus lots of downloadable materials to use in your events, on the World COPD Day web site. The National Institutes of Health has great information on its Learn More Breathe Better campaign web site as well.

Also review the Nov. 13 press release from the NHLBI that outlines many important facets of their new survey, including increased overall awareness. But it points out that much information about symptoms and treatments is still not well understood.

The CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report provides mortality data on COPD from 2000-2005. The absolute number of deaths from COPD increased 8% during those years and increased among women by 11%. The MMWR explains other COPD statistics in age, gender, and overall death rate changes.

The AARC’s consumer web site, YourLungHealth.org, contains a wealth of information developed specifically by RTs for their chronic lung disease patients. Here’s a sample of what you’ll find:

• A comprehensive overview of COPD, complete with a definition of the condition, how it is caused, how it is diagnosed, and what people can do to treat it.
• Ask Dr. Tom, a great feature where patients and providers alike can get answers from world renowned pulmonologist Tom Petty, MD, FAARC.
• Use Your Inhaler Correctly, an online tutorial that will help patients get the most out of their medications. 
• The New Oxygen Rules and what COPD patients on supplemental oxygen need to know about them. 
• 60 Second Checkup Radio Series, which has featured several segments on COPD over the past few years.
• Smoking cessation resources to help COPD patients kick the habit.
• Living Well with Lung Disease Health Tips, including several specifically targeting people with COPD.

The Association’s main web site, AARC.org,  is another great source of information, including great public relations resources that will help you gain media coverage for your events—

• AARC Webcasts: Check out the archived webcasts for presentations on COPD-related topics.
• AARC Headline News: Scroll through our news archive to find recent studies on COPD, then contact local media and volunteer to serve as a resource person on what the study results mean to local patients. 
• Public Relations Resources: Learn how to contact media sources and get coverage for your events and activities. 
• Free Photos: The AARC’s Photo Gallery offers free downloadable photos of RTs working with a wide variety of patients that you can use in your educational and/or PR materials.  
• AARC Press Releases: Take advantage of past AARC press releases that target COPD and its related issues. 
• Tobacco Resources: Smoking is the number one cause of COPD, and quitting smoking is considered key to treating the condition. The AARC has gathered a wealth of resources on tobacco cessation, including some great PowerPoint presentations.  

You’ll also want check out your November issue of AARC Times for our annual roundup of articles by AARC members and who are directly impacting people with COPD. (Click on “The COPD Chronicles” to read about everything from RT involvement in local COPD Coalitions to a great story about incorporating the Nintendo Wii into a pulmonary rehab program.)

Our partner organization, the National Lung Health Education Program,can help you plan your COPD Day events too. Check out these great resources: 

• Downloadable posters in English and Spanish encourage the use of spirometry to diagnose COPD.
• Save Your Breath, America! is a popular brochure covering all the COPD basics.
• Test Your Lungs - Know Your Numbers is another brochure featuring an overview of the organization’s program to promote the use of spirometry in physicians offices.
• Links to resources available from the federal government, American College of Chest Physicians, and more.

Lastly, be sure to share your events and activities (including any media coverage you receive for them) with the AARC by filling out our online form.