[Patient' s perspective of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Yanqing county of Beijing].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the patients' comprehension, recognition and burden of COPD in the rural area of Beijing.


METHODS
Of the 1624 people aged more than 40 in 5 villages in Yanqing county of Beijing, 148 were diagnosed to have COPD. Patients' comprehension of the disease and COPD control, the medication use, the impact of quality of life, and the experience of exacerbations of COPD were evaluated.


RESULTS
According to the GOLD standards the disease classification was 23.6% (35/148), 49.3% (73/148), 23.0% (34/148) and 4.1% (6/148) respectively in stage I, stage II, stage III and stage IV COPD. None of the 148 COPD patients had ever heard the term COPD, and none of them had been diagnosed COPD. Lung function tests and health education had never been performed for these patients. Only 4.1% (6/148) of the patients in stable stage took theophylline irregularly. None of the stable COPD patients took inhalers regularly or temporally. No oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation were done in those patients. During acute exacerbation, only 6.8% (10/148) took theophylline and 6.8% (10/148) had antibiotics. Only 3.4% (5/148) of the patients had been admitted to hospital during the past year. For the general health status, 4.1% (6/148) was excellent, 20.9% (31/148) very good, 26.4% (39/148) good, 27.7% (41/148) ordinary, 20.9% (31/148) poor. 47.3% (70/148) of the patients had limitation of activity. 25.0% (37/148) had feelings of depression sometimes and 25.7% (38/148) had some impacts no their social activity.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients have a poor understanding of COPD in the rural area in Beijing. The management of both stable and exacerbation of COPD was inadequate. COPD appears to have a significant impact on patient activities of daily living and mood. Health education should play an important role in the management of COPD.
Shen
Ning
N
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, China.
Yao
Wan-Zhen
WZ
Zhu
Hong
H
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires