RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: The burden of diseases should be described in terms of costs. The available literature gives imprecise estimates of costs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Nordic populations. Previous studies have methodological weaknesses related to choice of disease criteria, the use of highly selected populations and insufficient specification of the cost process. There are no robust estimates concerning the economics of COPD in Norway. METHODS: We have conducted a 1 year follow-up cost of illness study in a general population, recruiting ever-smoking Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 2+ COPD patients and ever-smokers without COPD. We have used diaries to recollect data, and comprehensive questionnaires to cover all costs of COPD. RESULTS: The main challenges were the participants' unwillingness to complete diaries, the large amount of information and the logistics related to following up 476 individuals on four occasions during one year. CONCLUSIONS: We doubt the effect of diaries. However, we recommend a detailed planning of logistics and to emphasize main cost drivers.