High prevalence of COPD symptoms in the general population contrasting with low awareness of the disease.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is underdiagnosed because of limited disease awareness with trivialization of the symptoms in the general population. METHODS: A survey was conducted in a representative sample (n=2758) of individuals older than 40 years of age in the general population of France. Respiratory symptoms and knowledge about COPD were assessed in individuals with or at risk for COPD (n=860, 31% of the sample). RESULTS: In the overall sample, 40% of individuals had a Medical Research Council dyspnea grade of 1 or more but only 9% spontaneously reported shortness of breath. Of these 9%, 72% reported limitations to their daily activities but only 14% believed they had severe lung disease. In the overall sample, only 220 (8%) individuals knew the term COPD and only 66% associated the term COPD with respiratory disease. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a large proportion of individuals at risk for COPD or having COPD and a high prevalence of breathlessness, awareness of respiratory symptoms and knowledge of COPD were limited. These findings indicate a need for educating the general population about COPD.

[The gap between the high impact and low awareness of COPD in the population]. / Sujets à risque de BPCO en population générale: disproportion entre la fréquence des symptômes, leur perception et la connaissance de la maladie.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is markedly under-diagnosed, which may relate to under-reporting of symptoms and poor awareness of the disease. METHODS: A survey was conducted in a sample of the French general population aged 40-75 years (n=2758) to assess respiratory symptoms and level of knowledge of the disease in subjects with or at-risk of COPD (n=860, 31%). RESULTS: The high frequency of dyspnoea (MRC dyspnoea grade > or =1: 40%) contrasted with that of subjects spontaneously reporting respiratory problems (9%). Among these, 72% reported limitations in daily-life activities but only 14% considered that they were severely affected by their respiratory status. A very low proportion of subjects knew the term COPD (8%) and only 66% of these associated COPD with a respiratory disease. CONCLUSIONS: There is a wide gap between the high number of subjects at risk of COPD in the general population and the frequency of breathlessness in these subjects on one hand, and the poor knowledge of the disease, poor perception of symptoms, and under-diagnosis and under-use of spirometry on the other. Increasing awareness of COPD in the population is needed.