CAT for Healthcare Professionals

Ultimately, the CAT was developed with the aim of improving the way in which COPD is managed.

COPD is a major public health problem.

The burden associated with COPD is increasing, despite the introduction of successful smoking cessation campaigns¹.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that – by 2030 – COPD will become the 3rd most frequent cause of death². The level of physical disability experienced by patients with COPD varies considerably. Importantly, the disease also has social and psychological consequences^3,4. A significant number of patients with COPD are sub-optimally managed, and the burden of illness for them will be greater than it need be^3,4.

Factors contributing to the sub-optimal management of COPD include:

• patients with COPD understate the severity of their condition⁵.


• the priorities of COPD management as expressed in the guidelines don’t always match the priorities of patients living with the disease⁴.


• there are limitations in the tools currently used to assess patients⁶.

The CAT has been developed to provide a measurement of the impact of COPD on a patient’s health status, in order to help address these issues and improve the management of COPD.

 

 

 

References

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1. GOLD Teaching Slide Set  Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease, Updated December 2011. Available at: www.goldcopd.org/other-resources-gold-teaching-slide-set.html  [Accessed April 2012]
2. World Health Statistics. Part 1: Ten highlights in health statistics: 2008, 7-34.
3. Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer, 2004. Available at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/AnnualReports/DH_4115776 [Accessed April 2012]
4. Lost in translation, a report by the British Lung Foundation. Available at: www.lunguk.org/media-and-campaigning/special-reports/  [Accessed April 2012]
5. Rennard et al. European Respiratory Journal 2002; 20: 799-805.
6. Jones et al. European Respiratory Journal 2009; 34: 648-654.

Page Last Updated: April 25, 2012

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If you are a healthcare professional, this guide will show you how to use the CAT in the best way.

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