title: Vulnerability of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease according to gender in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little information is available regarding the vulnerability of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China. We aimed to assess this according to patient gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural area of Xuzhou in China. We interviewed and administered questionnaires to 2825 male and 2825 female patients with COPD and subjected the data generated to statistical analysis. We compared differences between proportions of male and female patients using the χ(2) test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of current smoking in men was 30.1%, whereas that in women was 10.9%, and 31.5% of men had a history of using biomass fuel compared with 75.3% of women. Further, 26.0% of the male patients and 16.4% of the female patients did not take theophylline regularly when their disease was stable. During acute exacerbations, 65.8% of the male patients and 39.7% of the female patients took theophylline or similar drugs. The average potential shortening of life expectancy was 1.76 years for men and 1.18 years for women. The average indirect economic burden was 11158.4 yuan for men and 7481.2 yuan for women. The quality of life was worse in female patients than in male patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found that patients with COPD were vulnerable and that factors determining vulnerability were different for men than for women. Therefore, we recommend adopting different measures for men and women when attempting to prevent, control, and treat COPD, rehabilitate these patients, and improve their quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Xuzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, Xuzhou, China. loupeian2004@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Peian
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Yanan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Peipei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pan
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiaxi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hongmin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D016527:Drug Costs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013806:Theophylline / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D013806:Theophylline
keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; gender; vulnerability