The burden of COPD in the U.K.: results from the confronting COPD survey

• Published in: Respiratory medicine 2003-03, Vol.97, p.S71-S79
• Main Author: Britton, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Absenteeism; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); Cost of Illness; direct costs; Female; Health Care Costs; Health Resources - economics; Health Resources - statistics & numerical data; Health Surveys; healthcare resource use; Humans; indirect costs; lost productivity; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - economics; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive - therapy; Reproducibility of Results; Respiratory System Agents - therapeutic use; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 0954-6111; 1532-3064
• DOI: 10.1016/S0954-6111(03)80027-6

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition characterized by progressive airflow limitation and decline in lung function. As seen in other developed countries throughout the world, COPD in the U.K. is associated with considerable mortality, and morbidity from the disease places a significant burden on the healthcare system and society. Despite the obvious burden of COPD in this country, there is a lack of recognition of COPD among the general public. Healthcare professionals may also fail to recognize the burden of disease, as shown by underdiagnosis and inadequate management. A key step in increasing awareness of the burden of COPD is obtaining comprehensive information about the impact of the disease on patients, the health service and society. The large-scale international survey, Confronting COPD in North America and Europe, aimed to address this need for information, by interviewing patients and physicians in eight countries. An economic analysis of patient responses to the survey in the U.K. showed that COPD places a high burden on the healthcare system and society, with annual direct costs estimated at 81942 per patient, and indirect cost at £81966 per patient, resulting in total per patient costs of 163908. The cost impact of the disease was particularly marked in secondary care, as a result of inpatient hospitalizations, amounting to 54% of direct costs. These results suggest that reducing patient requirement for hospital care could alleviate the burden of COPD on the U.K. healthcare system. This will require considerable improvements to the way the disease is managed by healthcare professionals in primary care, with earlier diagnosis and the use of interventions aimed at preventing exacerbations and delaying the progression of disease.