Economic analysis of the Confronting COPD survey: methodology.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a condition characterized by progressive airflow limitation, which causes considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. Yet the burden of COPD is poorly recognized, and the disease remains an inadequately managed health problem. Few studies have attempted to quantify the impact of the disease on patient health, the healthcare system and society as a whole. This provided the rationale for Confronting COPD in North America and Europe, the first large-scale international survey of the burden of COPD. This paper describes how quantitative measures of healthcare resource utilization and workplace productivity loss were derived from patient responses to the Confronting COPD survey, to investigate the country-specific impact of COPD on the healthcare system and society. The aim of this analysis is to inform countries of the economic impact of the condition, and demonstrate the need for better COPD treatment to improve health and reduce the sizeable burden of this disease.