Document Detail


Survey on the handling of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease by annual health check in Japan.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18854630     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: Since mild COPD can be detected in the annual health check by lung function tests, we conducted a questionnaire survey on how such examinations are used to assess chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: We mailed questionnaires to 633 facilities performing comprehensive medical check-up from June to July 2005 and obtained responses from 254 (40.1%). RESULTS: At participating facilities, the proportion of full or part-time physicians specializing in respiratory diseases was low [40 of 366 full timers (10.9%) and 114 of 2,044 part-timers (5.6%)], with very few physicians certified by the Japanese Respiratory Society (6.8%). Non respiratory physicians were involved in evaluating the results of thoracic diagnostic imaging at 32 facilities. Lung function tests were carried out at 98.2% of facilities though relatively few facilities evaluated test results with COPD in mind. All stages (mild, moderate, severe) of COPD were diagnosed in patients at 85 facilities (39.2%), while only severe COPD was targeted by chest imaging at 97 facilities (44.7%), disregarding mild and moderate cases. Counseling for smoking cessation was provided at 113 facilities (20.6%), while 30 facilities (14.4%) provided no form of smoking cessation. CONCLUSION: At most facilities performing a comprehensive medical check-up, there was not a sufficient number of respirologists to ensure early diagnosis of COPD and this may have compromised COPD diagnosis. The newly proposed Japan Society of Comprehensive Medical Check-up (Ningen-dock) Standards based on the Japanese Respiratory Society may be useful to reveal early stages of COPD.
Authors:
Yuko Komase; Tadashi Abe; Keita Kasahara; Takeshi Kaneko; Hiroshi Takahashi; Masanori Nishikawa; Ichiro Kuwahira
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Multicenter Study     Date:  2008-10-15
Journal Detail:
Title:  Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan)     Volume:  47     ISSN:  1349-7235     ISO Abbreviation:  Intern. Med.     Publication Date:  2008  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-10-15     Completed Date:  2009-01-26     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9204241     Medline TA:  Intern Med     Country:  Japan    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1791-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
St. Marianna University School of Medicine, Yokohama-City Seibu Hospital, Yokohama. yukomase@marianna-u.ac.jp
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Health Surveys
Humans
Japan
Physical Examination
Physician's Practice Patterns / statistics & numerical data*
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / diagnosis*,  physiopathology
Pulmonary Medicine / manpower*
Questionnaires
Respiratory Function Tests
Severity of Illness Index
Smoking Cessation

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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