Table 2.
Healthcare Experience, Perceptions on Healthcare, and Expectations of Respondents to the 2007 National Emphysema/COPD Association Survey with a Diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
| Males with COPD n=273 | Females with COPD n=295 | p value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider managing COPD (%) | |||
| Pulmonologist | 54.3 | 53.8 | 0.84 |
| Primary care provider/internist | 43.2 | 41.1 | 0.59 |
| Other providers involved (%) | |||
| Cardiologist | 46.0 | 29.2 | <0.001 |
| Otolaryngologist | 9.6 | 7.2 | 0.32 |
| Endocrinologist | 6.5 | 6.1 | 0.85 |
| Psychiatrist | 4.6 | 4.0 | 0.72 |
| Total number of providers, mean (SD) | 1.8 (1.1) | 1.6 (1.2) | 0.03 |
| Insurance (%) | |||
| Medicare | 77.3 | 71.4 | 0.11 |
| Through employer/work | 35.2 | 28.6 | 0.09 |
| Lacks insurance | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.92 |
| Medicaid | 6.2 | 9.9 | 0.11 |
| Visits to physicians prior 12 months | |||
| Any physician, mean (SD) | 7.7 (6.3) | 6.8 (5.2) | 0.06 |
| Pulmonologist, mean (SD) | 2.8 (3.0) | 2.9 (3.6) | 0.72 |
| Experience with rehabilitation (%) | |||
| Have participated in rehabilitation | 48.0 | 40.5 | 0.07 |
| Not aware of rehabilitation programs | 25.3 | 31.3 | 0.11 |
| Pulmonary rehabilitation is not available | 13.0 | 18.7 | 0.07 |
| Uncertain rehabilitation is helpful | 17.6 | 13.3 | 0.15 |
| Does not believe rehabilitation works | 3.7 | 2.7 | 0.51 |
| Perception about healthcare (%) | |||
| Believes diagnosis was delayed | 26.7 | 36.3 | 0.02 |
| Doctor is difficult to reach | 5.8 | 14.2 | <0.001 |
| Doctor sympathetic to condition | 90.4 | 83.4 | 0.01 |
| Feels treated poorly as smoker | 10.5 | 13.2 | 0.34 |
| Not enough time with my physician | 5.7 | 12.4 | 0.006 |
| Very satisfied with my physician | 58.2 | 63.0 | 0.24 |
| Insurance is a barrier for at least one aspect of care | 16.8 | 24.5 | 0.03 |
| Insurance is a barrier for obtaining prescription medication | 2.6 | 5.4 | 0.83 |
| Insurance is a barrier for rehabilitation | 7.0 | 5.8 | 0.56 |
| Insurance is a barrier for antibiotics | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.06 |
| Insurance barrier for medications to control symptoms | 6.2 | 9.9 | 0.11 |
| Knowledge about COPD | |||
| Aware of guidelines | 44.7 | 46.3 | 0.70 |
| Very well/adequately informed | 89 | 82.7 | 0.03 |
| Source of education/information (%) | |||
| Physician | 89.8 | 81.3 | 0.004 |
| Respiratory therapist | 48.7 | 42.2 | 0.11 |
| Nurse | 36.6 | 29.6 | 0.07 |
| Books, magazines | 33.7 | 34.4 | 0.87 |
| Other patients | 12.5 | 19.1 | 0.03 |
| Television or cable | 12.8 | 11.6 | 0.64 |
| Patient organizations | 12.1 | 14.3 | 0.44 |
| Online support groups | 13.6 | 20.4 | 0.03 |
| Other internet resources | 22.7 | 25.9 | 0.38 |
| Important activities to promote (%) | |||
| Access to treatment | 64.6 | 77.0 | 0.001 |
| Development of new therapies | 55.2 | 77.7 | <0.001 |
| Clinical research | 44.5 | 60.7 | <0.001 |
| Educational materials | 33.7 | 47.5 | <0.001 |
| Public awareness | 33.9 | 56.3 | <0.001 |
| Screening | 40.9 | 61.8 | <0.001 |
| Pulmonary rehabilitation | 56.3 | 67.2 | 0.006 |
| Research funding | 50.5 | 60.3 | 0.02 |
| Education of physicians | 48.3 | 65.1 | <0.001 |