Improving evaluation and surveillance of non-smoking chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: from clinical phenotypes to public health policy
1
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine; State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity; National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases; Center of Respiratory Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital., Beijing, China
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide with a substantial burden on the health of adults and the elderly. Non-smoking risk factors contribute to over 50% of the global burden of COPD. Although tobacco smoking has been recognized as a major risk factor, this was largely because most studies were conducted in high-income countries. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), tobacco smoking accounts for merely 30%-40% of the total burden. In China, over 80% of female COPD patients have no smoking history. Never-smokers are prone to underdiagnosis due to atypical symptoms and limited accessibility of pulmonary function tests, leading to an increased risk of acute exacerbations and mortality. The aim of this workshop is to improve the health of non-smoking populations with COPD and provide evidence-based support for disease surveillance, evaluation, and reporting, particularly in LMICs.
METHODS:
This workshop will include: (1) a 10-minute background introduction and topic proposal by respiratory experts; (2) 30-minute group discussions (two groups, each focusing on one core topic); (3) 15-minute cross-group discussion for experts to deliberate on contentious issues and reach consensus; (4) a 5-minute summary to clarify actionable conclusions.
RESULTS:
Main outcomes: clarify the clinical characteristics and high-risk subgroups of non-smoking COPD; determine core health impact assessment (HIA) indicators, health technology assessment (HTA) priorities, and consensus on simplified registry data to meet the needs of LMICs and primary medical institutions; formulate 3–5 actionable recommendations for clinical prevention and control as well as policy-making.
CONCLUSIONS:
Non-smoking COPD has become an important public health issue threatening the health of adults and the elderly. Integrating HIA, HTA, and a standardized registry system can provide evidence-based support for clinical practice and public health policy formulation.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide with a substantial burden on the health of adults and the elderly. Non-smoking risk factors contribute to over 50% of the global burden of COPD. Although tobacco smoking has been recognized as a major risk factor, this was largely because most studies were conducted in high-income countries. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), tobacco smoking accounts for merely 30%-40% of the total burden. In China, over 80% of female COPD patients have no smoking history. Never-smokers are prone to underdiagnosis due to atypical symptoms and limited accessibility of pulmonary function tests, leading to an increased risk of acute exacerbations and mortality. The aim of this workshop is to improve the health of non-smoking populations with COPD and provide evidence-based support for disease surveillance, evaluation, and reporting, particularly in LMICs.
METHODS:
This workshop will include: (1) a 10-minute background introduction and topic proposal by respiratory experts; (2) 30-minute group discussions (two groups, each focusing on one core topic); (3) 15-minute cross-group discussion for experts to deliberate on contentious issues and reach consensus; (4) a 5-minute summary to clarify actionable conclusions.
RESULTS:
Main outcomes: clarify the clinical characteristics and high-risk subgroups of non-smoking COPD; determine core health impact assessment (HIA) indicators, health technology assessment (HTA) priorities, and consensus on simplified registry data to meet the needs of LMICs and primary medical institutions; formulate 3–5 actionable recommendations for clinical prevention and control as well as policy-making.
CONCLUSIONS:
Non-smoking COPD has become an important public health issue threatening the health of adults and the elderly. Integrating HIA, HTA, and a standardized registry system can provide evidence-based support for clinical practice and public health policy formulation.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
