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How many people
are affected by COPD in New Zealand? A
report by the Thoracic Society of Australia & NZ in 2003, indicated that COPD
affects around
220,000 New Zealanders.
According to World Health Organisation data, New Zealand has one of the
highest COPD mortality rates in the world, after Hungary, Ireland, Romania and
Scotland.
In New Zealand in 1998/9 there were 7,450 admissions to public hospitals for
COPD, with an average length of stay of 9.6 days and total cost of $16.4
million.
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Which population
groups are most affected by COPD?
COPD is most prevalent among older people.
Because of higher smoking rates Maori and Pacific peoples are at greater risk
of developing COPD than other ethnic groups. Maori and Pacific peoples are
hospitalised with COPD more commonly than the general population, two and three
times respectively.
COPD is among the top major causes of avoidable hospitalisation for New
Zealanders aged 45 and over.
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What is the
Government doing at present to combat COPD?
The Government is targeting smoking cessation as a way of preventing COPD and
other smoking related illnesses, particularly among the Maori population.
While smoking cessation is the most powerful means of reducing the incidence
of COPD for future generations, it does not address the existing burden of
disease. COPD has already inflicted significant and irreversible damage on the
New Zealand population. According to one Australian researcher, even if everyone
stopped smoking tomorrow, COPD would continue to be a significant burden on
world health systems for the next 30 years.
The Australian Lung Foundation has presented a "National Approach to COPD"
submission to the Australian Government. Visit
www.lungnet.org.au for
more details.
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What data
is currently available on COPD in New Zealand?
In November 2003, the Thoracic Society of Australia and New Zealand (TSANZ)
commissioned a report to determine the prevalence and cost burden of COPD in
New Zealand.
A summary of the report highlights:
- COPD ranks third overall in its impact on the health of New Zealanders
after ischaemic heart disease and Stroke: 2nd in men & 5th in women.
- 220,000 COPD patients in New Zealand.
- 9,250 hospital discharges and predicted to be over 12,000 by 2007.
- 4th leading cause of death.
- Estimated cost between $102 - $192 million in direct healthcare costs.
- Fates of hospitalisation for Maori are more than double those for non
Maori.
- COPD mortality rates for Maori women in NZ are higher than reported in
any other known population of women worldwide.
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What health
priority is given to COPD in New Zealand?
Treatment of COPD has a low public health priority in New Zealand. COPD has
not been identified as one of the country’s top health priorities, although
eliminating smoking is a clear health objective.
The Ministry of Health does not currently include any respiratory illness
among its top 13 health priorities. Only two District Health Boards include COPD
in their strategic plans (Counties Manukau and Hutt Valley). COPD patients
frequently do not seek care until they experience severe symptoms and under
diagnosis is very common.
Visit www.lungnet.org.au
for an Australian perspective.
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What are the costs to the economy?
COPD has other significant economic impacts, such as absenteeism,
productivity losses and change of duties leading to early retirement from the
workforce.
Studies have shown that within seven to eight years of initial diagnosis,
most people with COPD are no longer capable of productive work.
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What are the
costs to the New Zealand health system?
The costs of COPD to the health system are proportionally similar in New
Zealand to the Australian figure of AUS$800 - 900 million per annum.
The estimated cost of COPD in New Zealand is between $102 - $192 million per
annum.
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