Need for Better Education
The survey revealed that although patients with COPD in general said
they felt relatively informed about their condition, they and their
doctors also recognized that there was a significant need for better education — particularly in terms of the best ways to manage COPD.
One important finding was that doctors and patients disagreed about how well patients understood the best ways to manage their condition (Figure 31). Although 71% of patients said that they either completely (36%) or mostly (35%) understood the best ways to manage their condition, only 44% of doctors said that most patients completely (1%) or mostly (43%) understood how to
manage their condition.
Yet both doctors and patients agreed that there was a need for better education about the management of the condition (Figure 32):
- 76% of patients and 69% of doctors agreed there was "strong need" for better patient education about their condition and treatment.
Two other areas where better education might be particularly useful:
- Underdiagnosis: There may be a vast number of Americans who are suffering and not getting proper treatment. Educational campaigns may be able to alert undiagnosed patients to COPD symptoms and urge them to seek further information from their healthcare providers.
- Treatment Options: Given patient complaints about the inconvenience of medications (Figure 28), it might be useful for patients to talk with their healthcare providers about ways they can simplify their treatment regimen.
