title: Use of spirometry and recording of smoking habits of COPD patients increased in primary health care during national COPD programme.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Finland, a national programme for COPD prevention and treatment was developed in 1998. The main goals of the programme were to diagnose COPD as early as possible and to encourage people to quit smoking. The role of primary health care was emphasized in the programme. Our aim was to investigate the use of spirometry and recording of smoking habits of COPD patients in primary health care before and during the COPD programme.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared patients with respiratory symptoms or diseases visiting primary health care during 1997 (before programme) and 2002 (during programme). Patients with respiratory symptoms were divided into two groups: COPD patients and "others". Patient records were thoroughly investigated and data retrieved from them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a significant increase in the whole study group from 8.0% to 38.9% in the use of spirometry (p < 0.001). This increase was significant both in the COPD group (from 32.0% to 79.6%, p < 0.001) and "others" (from 5.6% to 32.8%, p < 0.001). Written information on smoking habits in patient records increased from 16.6% of all patients in 1997 to 53.2% in 2002 (p < 0.001), and in COPD group from 45.0% to 84.3% (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed a significant increase in the use of spirometry and knowledge of smoking habits in COPD patients, which may be a result of the Finnish national COPD programme.
authors.affiliation: Finnish Lung Health Association, Sibeliuksenkatu 11 A 1, FI-00250 Helsinki Finland. tuula.vasankari@utu.fi
authors.forename: Tuula
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vasankari
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pietinalho
authors.forename: Kalle
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lertola
authors.forename: Seppo Yt
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Junnila
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liippo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D057286:Electronic Health Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000639:trends; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013147:Spirometry / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*