COPD Summit Survey Results November 7, 2007

Breathe Free Program:
A 3-Year Evaluation Report, 2005-2007

The primary goal of Breathe Free is to identify individuals at-risk for COPD through lung health screenings, increase awareness and education about COPD, and identify needs and resources of COPD patients, providers, and the general community. Five measurable objectives were identified and data was collected over a 3-year period beginning in fiscal year 2005 and ending fiscal year 2007.

Findings suggest that there is a clear lack of COPD awareness, information, and education among patients, providers, and the community. Approximately half of the COPD Community Survey participants age 44 and older were unfamiliar with COPD. Furthermore, providers indicated that time demands, a lack of resources, and a lack of training related to early detection and treatment of COPD, are barriers to providing care to their patients.

Early detection and screening efforts should continue to utilize smoking cessation classes, workshops, and support groups as means for identifying and collecting more extensive data on at-risk populations for COPD. At the statewide level, information, screening efforts, referrals, and management related to COPD is fragmented. Health care professionals, public health officials, and other stakeholders should work collaboratively to develop a more comprehensive system of managed care to ensure that all patients and those at-risk for COPD receive the highest quality of continuing care in the state of Arizona.