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Epidemiology

Based on World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 65 million people

globally are suffering from COPD. The disease is now on the 5th leading cause

of death in the world and is expecting to climb to third place by 2030.

COPD is the 4th leading cause of death claiming more than 100,000

Americans each year. It is estimated that COPD will become the third leading

cause of death by 2020.

More than six percent of the population in Asia- Pacific countries may have

the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

COPD is among the top five causes of disability and death in industrial

countries.

It is believed that Asians are less susceptible to COPD than other

nationalities.

A prevalence study was then conducted in 12 Asian countries using the COPD

Prevalence Model.

According to Teresita de Guia, head of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

at Philippine Heart Center the burden of COPD is intensified, if the patient

suffers from lung attack. She is also the head of COPD foundation, warned that

a patient could die if his level of oxygen goes down to critical level during a lung

attack. This also the major cause of hospitalization of many COPD patient.

Patient who is suffering from stage 4 COPD has less than 30% of his lungs isfunctioning well and will have spend some 5,000.00 pesos a month for medicine.

Example Of Epidemiology in the Philippines

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

 The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of and risk factors associated

with COPD in a rural setting in the Philippines.

METHODS:

 The study was conducted in two municipalities in Nueva Ecija province in the

Philippines. Using the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) protocol and

study design, non-hospitalized men or women, aged 40years or older, were

recruited by multi-stage random sampling procedures. Participants completed

questionnaires on respiratory symptoms and exposure to potential risk factors for

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COPD, including smoking, occupation and exposure to burning of biomass fuel.

Spirometry was performed according to American Thoracic Society criteria.

RESULTS:

Of the 1188 individuals selected for recruitment, 722 had acceptable post-

bronchodilator spirometry and were classified according to Global Initiative for

Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage. The overall prevalence of COPD for

all stages was 20.8%. The prevalence of COPD at GOLD Stage I or higher was

greater in men compared with women (26.5% vs 15.3%), and increased between

the ages of 40 to >70years. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant

association between all stages of COPD and farming for >40years (odds ratio (OR)

2.48, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.43-4.30), use of firewood for cooking for

>60years (OR 3.48, 95% CI: 1.57-7.71), a smoking history of ≥20 pack-years (OR

2.86; 95% CI: 1.78-4.60), and a history of tuberculosis (OR OR 6.31, 95% CI: 2.67-

15.0).

CONCLUSIONS:

 The prevalence COPD in a rural community in Nueva Ecija, Philippine Philippines

was 20.8% for GOLD Stage I or higher, and 16.7% for GOLD Stage II or higher. In

addition to smoking history, the use of firewood for cooking, working on a farm and

a history of tuberculosis were significantly associated with fixed airflow obstruction,

as assessed by spirometry