Screening Heroin Smokers Attending Community Drug Services for COPD

[摘要] Background Heroin smoking is associated with deprivation, early onset severe emphysema, premature morbidity and mortality, and high use of health care, but individuals engage poorly with traditional health services. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we screened a population of heroin smokers, prescribed opiate substitution therapy by community drug services, for airway disease. We assessed drug exposure, respiratory symptoms, health status, and COPD prevalence. Subjects completed spirometry, completed Medical Research Council (MRC) Dyspnea Scale, COPD Assessment Tool (CAT) questionnaire, recorded drug exposure, and provided feedback. Results A total of 753 people (73% of those approached) completed screening, with 260 participants (35%) having COPD using FEV₁/FVC P P P P P = .03) for longer and were more likely to still be smoking heroin (P Conclusions Most heroin smokers had COPD or ACO, most commonly mild to moderate disease. In high-risk areas, screening this population provides an opportunity to reduce symptoms and risk. Anchoring respiratory health screening to drug center appointments delivers high completion and satisfaction and is an appropriate model for screening other hard-to-reach populations.

[学科分类] 呼吸医学

[关键词] addiction;COPD;drug abuse;spirometry;ACO;asthma-COPD overlap;CAT;COPD Assessment Tool;LLN;lower limit of normal;MRC;Medical Research Council