India is the first country I know of to begin a doctor sponsored
Asthma-COPD Club (AC Club) for patients…Whoopee!
Maybe the U.S. is next…maybe Kitsap County doctors will consider
beginning a club to educate COPDers as the
Department of Chest Medicine at Karamsad-based Shree Krishna
Hospitla in Anand, does.
Diagnosing, running tests and handing the patient prescriptions and
appointment card for their next visit is not good enough. Patients
leave the doctor’s office, in many cases knowing little about the
disease/s and how best to live with it and what they can do to best
help themselves…such as ride the recumbent trike safely for
exercise and fun.
Recently I called our own Harrison Medical Center to ask what they
had planned for COPD Day. The operator asked what COPD is. A little
over a week later, I visited my son in Harrison, Bremerton and was
helped by an energetic, friendly and helpful person. I showed her
my “Rearing For Health” over a funny looking rearing horse and
“What Is COPD” below the horse tee-shirt.
That wonderful, helpful, Emma Reeves asked, “What is COPD?”
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is the 4th leading cause of
death in the U.S., 5th in the world. Diabetes is 5th leading cause
of death.
“Doctors who have initiated the club say that World Health
Organization estimates suggest that 210 million people suffer from
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) worldwide and that, at
present, more than 90 per cent of COPD deaths occur in developing
countries. The club already has 350 patients enrolled and will
provide free consultation and pulmonary function test (PFT) to
patients while spreading awareness so that other organizations turn
Smoke Free.”
“It is estimated that COPD will become the third leading cause
of death by 2030. In a country like ours, effective prevention and
regular treatment is the key to check progression of COPD, which
can otherwise result in significant burden to our society in terms
of healthcare expenses,” professor Dr Rajiv Paliwal told TOI on
Saturday, adding that asthma and COPD are two diseases due to which
patients suffer from breathlessness.
“While asthma is a genetically determined, COPD is not a
familiar disease. Earlier, it was believed that COPD occurs only to
smokers but even non-smokers are increasingly being affected by the
disease due to high air pollution. Females in rural areas catch
COPD because of the use of chullas’,” said Paliwal, adding that the
club will help pulmonary rehabilitation of patients.
Usually, patients suffering from such kind of breathlessness
become socially isolated, which in turn depresses them. “This
results in a vicious circle as their breathlessness increases due
to depression,” said professor Dr Satish Patel.
“Patients who join the club are not only given free consulting
and education, but they are also given nutritional advice,
physiotherapy treatment and counselling,” says Patel, adding that
so far there is no national programme from the side of government
on COPD. “GOI is thinking of taking up a public awareness drive but
it will take few more years before it starts one,” he added. “
prashant.rupera@timesgroup.com
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/Countrys-first-club-for-breathlessness-ailments-starts-in-Anand/articleshow/5280746.cms
Thanks for the heads-up, Linda. www.emphysema.net
More later… Sharon O’Hara
