World COPD Day: supporting people to live well with COPD

Life with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be difficult, especially when everyday tasks become a challenge because of breathlessness, persistent coughing and frequent chest infections. Finding that you can no longer carry on your job, care for your grandchildren, or even socialise with friends without experiencing symptoms can lead to people feeling isolated, anxious and depressed. Research from the British Lung Foundation found that over half of people with the condition (56%) said their mental health had deteriorated since receiving a COPD diagnosis.

This World COPD Day is an opportunity to reach out to patients living with the condition to check in on both their mental and physical well-being and offer them the support they need to live well with COPD.

It is important to ensure from the moment someone presents at their GP practice with symptoms of COPD that they get support for smoking cessation if they smoke. Having a conversation with patients about the effect smoking has on their health and providing them with support to quit is vital even before their diagnosis is confirmed.