Abstract
On the occasion of World COPD Day (15 November 2007), a COPD awareness survey using a 5-item questionnaire was carried out among 1 448 people in three Czech and two Moravian towns. The study was not representative in terms of a random selection of the mentioned population.
The age ranged from 9 to 99 years, with the majority of participants (62 %) being older than 50 years. Only 39 % of participants had heard the term COPD before.
Fifty-four percent knew that COPD is different from asthma. A higher proportion - 81 % - made a correct response concerning the harmfulness of smoking in COPD aetiology.
As far as COPD prevention is concerned, the only acceptable result was the awareness of the necessity to quit smoking - 93 %. On the other hand, the usefulness of pulmonary rehabilitation was recognized by only 40 % of respondents and regular inhalation of drugs by only 22 %.
The necessity of combined therapy - e.g. prevention (no smoking) together with inhalation of medications and rehabilitation - was also known to only few people (15 %). Women had better results in nearly all questions as compared to men (p < 0.001).
Great differences were also found between different towns (p < 0.001). The COPD term awareness increased with age.
It is necessary to improve public knowledge of COPD, especially concerning early COPD detection and optimal therapy.