PRS20 Rates of COPD Diagnosis and Health Outcomes in at Risk Populations: An Insight to the Diagnosis of COPD

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a global health concern and is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, identifying patients has proved challenging, resulting in widespread under-diagnosis of the condition. In this study, we examined the rates of COPD at risk population (undiagnosed) and the impact on their health outcomes compared to non-COPD population. Respondents to the 2019 National Health and Wellness Survey in US and Japan and 2020 survey in Taiwan and South Korea were classified into three groups: ‘COPD Diagnosed’, ‘COPD Risk (undiagnosed)’, and ‘Control (unaffected)’, based on their self-reported diagnosis and Lung Function Questionnaire (LFQ) score. The proportion of at risk but undiagnosed COPD patients were descriptively analysed for each country. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), work productivity and activity impairment (WPAI), and healthcare resource use (HRU) were compared in undiagnosed at-risk patients vs. respondents without COPD using bivariate analyses for each country. In Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and US, 25.32%, 29.28%, 22.72% and 25.58% of respondents were classified as of at risk for COPD (LFQ sum score of 18 or lower) but did not report receiving a diagnosis. Relative to controls, respondents who were at-risk of COPD (undiagnosed) had statistically significantly worse HRQoL, higher impairment in work productivity and daily activity, and greater healthcare resource use (p<0.001). Specifically, there were clinically meaningful differences (3 points difference) in terms of the physical component score between the two groups in all countries (Japan: 49.88 vs. 53.02; Korea: 46.55 vs. 51.28; Taiwan: 46.69 vs. 52.40; US: 45.07 vs. 52.88). There is a huge undiagnosed COPD at risk population across the countries including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and US, and their health outcomes such as HRQoL, work productivity and healthcare resource utilization were significantly worse than the non-COPD population.