Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a type of lung disease that makes breathing difficult. Most people who are diagnosed with COPD are current or ex-smokers aged over 40 years old. The number of people who get COPD differs between counties across the world, even between European countries. For example, approximately 7.5% of people in France were diagnosed with COPD in 2008 whereas only 4% of people were diagnosed with COPD in the UK. Similarly, differences between how frequent COPD patients are admitted for hospital or the proportion who die from COPD exist between the UK and France. Comparing people with COPD between France and the UK and the use of healthcare resources surrounding their disease will help researchers understand differences in COPD management and practice patterns and how this could be improved in order to improve quality of life in people with COPD.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms and persistent airflow limitation, due to cigarette smoking in the vast majority of cases. In patients of 40 years old or more, the prevalence of spirometry-confirmed COPD has been estimated at 7.5% in France in 2008, while there are approximately 4% of people diagnosed with COPD in the UK 60% to 85% of people with COPD, mainly with mild-to-moderate disease, remain undiagnosed. Epidemiological studies report a gradual increase in the prevalence in most countries. In 2030, it is estimated that COPD could be the third leading cause of death worldwide. An average of 18,000 deaths per year have been recorded in France over the period 2000-2011, while approximately 30,000 people in the UK die of COPD annually. It is important to understand how COPD is managed and how healthcare resources are used to better understand and inform on the benefits and limitations of different clinical approaches of COPD management. This can lead to improved COPD care, COPD symptoms, and quality of life both nationally and internationally.
1) Healthcare utilisation each year (number and length of hospitalisations, prescriptions received, and associated costs)
2) COPD management
Jennifer Quint - Chief Investigator - Imperial College London
Hannah Whittaker - Corresponding Applicant - Imperial College London
Eric Van Ganse - Collaborator - PELyon
Faustine Dalon - Collaborator - PELyon
Manon Belhassen - Collaborator - PELyon
HES Accident and Emergency;HES Admitted Patient Care;HES Outpatient;ONS Death Registration Data;Patient Level Index of Multiple Deprivation