COPD Health Education COPD Overview Patient Portrayals What

COPD Health Education COPD Overview Patient Portrayals

What is COPD? • COPD: Short for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 1 a • General term used to describe lung diseases including: • Emphysema 1 a • Chronic bronchitis 1 a • Refractory (irreversible) asthma 1 a • There is no cure for COPD, but there are treatments available to manage its symptoms 1 b

COPD Facts and Figures • An estimated 210 million people have COPD worldwide 1 a • In the U. S. alone: More than 12 million adults have COPD 2 a Another 12 million likely have it, but don’t know it 2 a 4 th leading cause of death 1 b and 2 nd leading cause of disability 3 Kills one person every four minutes 2 a Kills twice as many African American men than African American women 4 – Cost the healthcare system more than $49 billion 5 – African Americans have more emergency room visits and similar disease severity when compared to Whites who have smoked cigarettes over a longer period of time and are heavier smokers 6 – – –

Who is At Risk for COPD? • Smokers (cigarettes, pipes, cigars) and people exposed to secondhand smoke 1 a, 1 b • People exposed to pollutants that irritate and damage lungs. 1 c Pollutants include: chemical fumes, smoke from a wood- or coal-burning stove, dust, 1 d asbestos, mildew, and mold 1 e • Genetic factors (Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency)1 d • People at least 40 years old 2 a – 7 out of 10 people with COPD are younger than 653 – Most are at least 40 years old when symptoms start 2 a • Women – More than twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with chronic bronchitis 4

What are the Signs & Symptoms of COPD? • Symptoms may include: – Shortness of breath 1 a – Constant coughing (with or without mucus or phlegm)1 a – Wheezing 1 a – Tightness in the chest 2 a, 3 a – Constant clearing of the throat 2 a – Not being able to take a deep breath 3 a • – Old age 2 a – Being out of shape – Asthma 3 b • • Patient Portrayal Symptoms are often wrongly attributed to: Some mistakenly think symptoms will decrease or stop altogether once they quit smoking COPD symptoms are chronic (occur all the time/frequently)1 b

How is COPD Diagnosed? • COPD is often diagnosed using a lung test known as spirometry 1 a • Spirometry measures the health and how well your lungs are working 1 a – Relatively simple and easy test to take 1 b – Diagnoses COPD before symptoms even start showing 2 – Shows severity, or stage, of COPD 1 c

What are the Stages of COPD? Stage I – Mild 1 • Airways have narrowed slightly 1 • You may have a cough that won’t go away, with or without mucus or phlegm 1 Stage III – Severe 1 • Airflow in and out of lungs is limited 1 • May run out of breath doing the simplest activities 1 • Quality of life may be affected 1 Stage II – Moderate 1 • Airways have become narrower 1 • May be easily winded, especially during brisk activity (e. g. , exercising, climbing stairs)1 Stage IV – Very Severe 1 • Airflow is severely limited (obstructed)1 • At risk for other serious problems (e. g. , lung or heart failure)1 • Quality of life may be diminished 1

COPD – Why is it Important to Our Community? • About 28 African Americans per every 100, 000 died from COPD in 20061 • 1, 823 Maryland residents died from COPD in 2005, ranking the state the 27 th highest in COPD deaths 2 • In 2001, more Black women (ages 45 -64) had chronic bronchitis than Black men, White women or White men in the same age group 3 • Nearly 1 in 5 African American adults smoke 4

Smoking Rates in Baltimore City & Maryland Percentage of adults who currently smoke cigarettes by sex and race (2007)