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1COPD: Challenging Symptoms, Stigma and Stereotypes
Patient Survey Fact Sheet
Findings from a new national survey of
649 COPD sufferers, designed to explore the psychological impact that symptoms, stigma and
stereotypes have on patients, revealed a physical and emotional burden that
hinders better disease management. The
survey was conducted online by EFFORTS, a nonprofit patient support group, and
was supported by Boehringer Ingelheim, Inc. and Pfizer, Inc.
COPD Takes a Significant Physical
Toll on Patients
·
The survey highlights the extreme physical
impact of COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease – which includes
emphysema and chronic bronchitis: More
than nine in 10 patients frequently experienced symptoms associated with their
breathing problems.
Have you experienced any of
the following symptoms as part of your lung condition?
·
Living with COPD curtails many
activities, preventing patients from engaging in leisurely activities on their
own or with their loved ones. Eighty-five
percent said their symptoms kept them from participating in activities they
once enjoyed, such as light exercise, travel and group/community activities.
Does your lung condition
greatly limit your participation in any of the following activities?
Living with COPD Can Be a Very
Emotional Experience
·
Almost
90 percent of COPD patients surveyed thought about their condition daily. Nearly nine in 10 were concerned about
experiencing an exacerbation of their lung condition – a worsening of their
symptoms that may require a physician or hospital visit. An overwhelming number also felt that others
believe that COPD patients brought on their lung condition themselves,
reinforcing the stigma and guilt that many patients feel.
·
The
survey demonstrates the overwhelming emotional impact of the disease. COPD patients reported frequently suffering
from a range of troubling emotions:
Which of the following emotions describes how your lung
condition makes you feel?
·
More
than half of patients (56 percent) reported a severe emotional burden
associated with their disease, saying they “very frequently” or “always” felt burdened,
overwhelmed, depressed, isolated, defeated, embarrassed or ashamed. Women and younger patients (40-64) were more
likely to report frequently suffering these emotions.
Which of the following describe how your lung
condition makes you feel?
The Emotional Toll of COPD
Impacts Its Management
·
Overall, nearly one in five patients
said their feelings made them uncomfortable and reluctant to get
treatment. Women and younger patients,
40-64, were more likely to feel this way, as were patients suffering most
frequently and those very concerned about their condition worsening – groups
that normally would be expected to seek help.
How many patients feel uncomfortable or reluctant to
get treatment?
Severe emotional sufferers, those who
responded “very frequently” or “always” feeling these emotions, were more
likely than less emotional sufferers to be very concerned about their condition
worsening, think there is nothing they can do to control their breathing
problems, and feel uncomfortable or reluctant to get treatment. In addition, severe emotional sufferers were
more likely to use short-term medications, often called rescue medications, at
least once-a-day, and consider immediate symptom relief important.
·
Overall,
nearly all COPD patients agreed that improving regular breathing (as opposed to
just treating symptoms) and providing long-term relief were the most important
characteristics of a COPD treatment. Still,
more than a third ranked immediate symptom relief as one of the three most
desirable characteristics, correlating to the lack of control that many
patients, particularly those most emotionally affected, feel.
Which is the most desirable characteristic – that is,
what do you want most in a treatment?
About the Survey
This COPD patient survey was fielded by
Conducted online over a three-week
period from October 27 –
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