COPD Health Education COPD Overview Patient Portrayals

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

COPD Facts and Figures An estimated 210 million people have COPD worldwide 1a In the U.S. alone: – More than 12 million adults have COPD 2a – Another 12 million likely have it, but don’t know it 2a – 4 th leading cause of death 1b and 2 nd leading cause of disability 3 – Kills one person every four minutes 2a – 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 1a, 1b People exposed to pollutants that irritate and damage lungs. 1c Pollutants include: chemical fumes, smoke from a wood- or coal-burning stove, dust, 1d asbestos, mildew, and mold 1e Genetic factors (Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency) 1d People at least 40 years old 2a – 7 out of 10 people with COPD are younger than 65 3 – Most are at least 40 years old when symptoms start 2a 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 1a – Constant coughing (with or without mucus or phlegm) 1a – Wheezing 1a – Tightness in the chest 2a, 3a – Constant clearing of the throat 2a – Not being able to take a deep breath 3a Symptoms are often wrongly attributed to: – Old age 2a – Being out of shape – Asthma 3b Some mistakenly think symptoms will decrease or stop altogether once they quit smoking COPD symptoms are chronic (occur all the time/frequently) 1b Patient Portrayal

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

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 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 II – Moderate 1 Airways have become narrower 1 May be easily winded, especially during brisk activity (e.g., exercising, climbing stairs) 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 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 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 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 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 ,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)