Abstract
Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and risk factors: present status and future trendsThis report to review cases of COPD and risk factors has been sucessfully obtained by gathering data from hospitals in various part of Thailand, data of smoking behaviors and populations in each province. From these, we can estimate the incidence and prevalence rate. Eighty-five percents were male and fifteen percents were female. Most of the patients' ages were between 60-80 years old. Severity of the diseases progressed according to their increasing ages. So did the mortality rate. The mortality rate was 1 percent at age 40-50 and become 4 percent at age 70. The expense escalated when one got older due to the progression of the disease. We recommend preventive measures, antismoking, quit smoking activities and control of air pollution to be planned and implemented in the 9th Natinal Health evelopment plan to cintrol COPD cases and lower economics loss. The future prevalence rate is predicted to increase due toi the smoking rate, air pollution and increasing population number.
