Fewer than half of the patients with the lung disease COPD receive sufficient education on how to manage their disease, according to new research.
The mortality rate among men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, has decreased by over 20 percent in the last ten years. At the same time, the figure has increased by 5 percent among women.
It is known that patients who receive education about their disease and treatment have better prerequisites to slow down the progression. But according to a Swedish study, which is highlighted by the Heart-Lung Foundation, only 44 percent of patients have received education.
The content of patient education includes, among other things, support to quit smoking, instructions for the use of inhalation medications, and information about healthy eating habits and physical activity. In 2023, a total of 2,953 Swedes died of COPD.
