[Analysis on awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) status and related knowledge in patients with...

Objective: To understand the awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) status and awareness of COPD-related knowledge and its influencing factors in COPD patients aged ≥40 years in China in 2014-2015. Methods: The study subjects were selected through multi-stage stratified cluster sampling from 125 COPD surveillance points in 31 provinces (autonomous regions, municipalities) in China. The number of the subjects was 75 107. The relevant variables about COPD diagnosis and COPD-related knowledge awareness were collected by electronic questionnaire in face to face interviews. A total of 9 134 participates with post-bronchodilator FEV(1)/FVC<70% were diagnosed with COPD. Based on the complex sampling design, the awareness rate of COPD status and related knowledge were estimated, and the influencing factors were analyzed. Results: A total of 9 132 COPD patients were included in the analysis. Among COPD patients aged ≥40 years in China, 0.9% were aware of their COPD status (95%CI: 0.6%-1.1%), and 5.7% were aware of COPD related knowledge (95%CI: 4.8%-6.6%), and 3.4% were aware of pulmonary function test (95%CI: 2.8%-4.0%). The COPD status awareness rate was 3.9% in the patients with history of chronic respiratory disease (95%CI: 2.9%-4.8%), 2.4% in the patients with respiratory symptoms (95%CI: 1.7%-3.1%), and 7.1% in the patients with COPD related knowledge awareness (95%CI: 4.5%-9.8%) respectively. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that chronic respiratory disease history, respiratory symptoms, occupational dust and/or harmful gas exposure and COPD related knowledge awareness had influences on the awareness rate of COPD status. Educational level and chronic respiratory disease history had influences on the awareness rate of COPD related knowledge. And ethnic groups, educational level and history of chronic respiratory diseases had influences on the awareness rate of pulmonary function test. Conclusions: The awareness rates of COPD status, COPD-related knowledge and pulmonary function test in COPD patients in China were low. The comprehensive intervention of COPD should be carried out to improve the level of diagnosis and the awareness COPD status of COPD patients.