DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2015.v03i08.019

Pages: 2832-2840

COPD is projected to move from sixth to the third most common cause of death worldwide within next twenty years, whilst rising from fourth to third in terms of morbidity within the same time. The study was done with the objectives to study the prevalence of COPD in Kashmir & to suggest early preventive steps for control of COPD. A community based cross sectional study was carried out to measure the prevalence of COPD in men and women greater than 45 years of age. The study was conducted purposively in Central zone of Kashmir Valley which includes three districts district Srinagar, district Budgam and district Ganderbal. The study was carried out in both rural and urban areas, with district Srinagar representing the urban population & district Budgam & district Ganderbal representing the rural population. The multi-stage sampling was adopted for selection of subjects and 5 per 1000 of total population were selected which made a total of 2800 study population (greater than 45years of age) was taken up for the study. The subjects were included, in the study only after obtaining their written consent. Questionnaire was set regarding the symptomatology of COPD like presence of cough, breathlessness, wheezing etc. The subjects who were positive for these symptoms did undergo x-ray chest and Spirometry. A total of 177 study subjects were diagnosed as having COPD out of the total study population of 2800; among the subjects most common symptom was cough present in 254, followed by expectoration present in 132 subjects. Most of the subjects belonged to the age groups of 55-59 and 60-64 years i.e. 28 and 28 of the respective population in the same age groups. However percentage prevalence increase with age i.e. 16.4% in the age group >80 years.