Men and women with COPD and other lung diseases report differences in symptoms, mental health, disease burden and other patient-reported outcomes.
That’s according to a study, “Navigating COPD and Bronchiectasis: A COPD Foundation Survey of Differences in Patient-Perceived Health Care Experiences by Sex,” published in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation.
The COPD Foundation conducted a survey of 632 people with self-reported COPD, bronchiectasis and/or nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease, said the organization’s news release. Respondents were divided into two groups:
- Those with a reported diagnosis of COPD regardless of the presence of bronchiectasis or NTM lung disease.
- Those with a reported diagnosis of bronchiectasis and/or NTM without COPD.
Most of the respondents to the survey were women with COPD. They reported seeking care sooner after symptoms developed than their male counterparts. They also expressed feeling increased anxiety and fear related to their diagnosis and were less likely to believe their diagnosis was clearly explained by a doctor.
“Men and women experience chronic lung disease differently. However, research on the extent of these differences and how to address them remains limited,” said Radmilla Choate, PhD, MPH, associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health in Lexington, KY. “Our findings highlight the need for a deeper understanding of these and for new ways to improve lung health for both men and women.”
