Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) can prevention be improved?

To contribute to the improvement of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) prevention, by identifying groups at risk for COPD, reseachers carried out a detailed analysis of the determinants of COPD using the Stepwise Target Group-Oriented Prevention (STOP) model.


Results had shown that, apart from smoking, other environmental determinants and host factors contribute to further lung function's rapid decline.


Target groups for early disease detection and appropriate interventions can be identified by the presence of one or more known risk factors and by identification of high-risk groups.


It was concluded that the STOP strategy is a step toward improvement in COPD prevention, by shifting the focus from symptomatic smokers aged 45+ years to much earlier and preventable stages of the disease, that is, from disease treatment to risk management.


M. H. Ghambarian et al., Preventive Medicine, Vol. 39 (2) 337-43, August 2004


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