Illinois COPD Coalition releases State Plan for Addressing COPD

Convened by Respiratory Health Association, the Illinois COPD Coalition releases the State Plan for Addressing COPD. The plan outlines sustainable solutions to reduce the burden of COPD and makes Illinois only the second state in the U.S. to have formed a coalition with a resulting state plan.  The State Plan serves as a guide to reduce the incidence of COPD and COPD-related morbidity and mortality as well as improve the quality of life for those living with COPD. Some objectives for doing this include: (a) enhance the prevention of COPD, by promoting smoking cessation activities and increasing awareness of environmental causes of COPD; (b) educate primary health care providers to help increase diagnosis rates and to provide patients with the GOLD standard of COPD care; (c) increase COPD awareness among at-risk populations and others to improve health care decision-making; (d) provide a statewide network of resources for those living with COPD to increase self-management skills and adherence to treatment; and (e) increase surveillance through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and other data.