People with chronic lung disease still smoke

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

According to a new study, many people with emphysema and bronchitis continue to smoke despite the risks.
Smoking plays a huge role in chronic lung disease and is the major cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Clearly, quitting smoking is a key part of managing this disabling condition. But this message is not being acted upon, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They surveyed over 11,000 patients and found that more than 36 per cent are current smokers, compared to 22 per cent of the general population.

Around half of the COPD patients had tried to quit smoking and 14.6 of them succeeded - mostly without any help. Of the smokers with COPD, around a quarter said that they had not received any advice on smoking cessation. Given that counseling and medication can help people quit smoking, more should be done to offer this support to people with COPD.

Source
American Journal of Health Promotion July 2006

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