Health Practice Assignment: COPD Impact and Physician's Role Analysis

This assignment explores the multifaceted impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) on community health, highlighting its prevalence, particularly among older adults, and its effects on productivity, social participation, and mental well-being. The assignment also delves into the crucial role of physicians, including pulmonologists and respiratory therapists, in diagnosing, treating, and managing COPD. It emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis, lifestyle modifications like diet and exercise, and effective medication strategies to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life for individuals affected by COPD. The document references several studies that support the information provided. Overall, the assignment provides a comprehensive overview of COPD's community impact and the critical role of healthcare professionals in managing this chronic respiratory disease.

Running head: HEALTH PRACTICE
HEALTH PRACTICE
Name of the Student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

1HEALTH PRACTICE
1) Discuss the impact of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on the community health
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is responsible for affecting more than
17 million population in U.S. COPD is responsible for majorly affecting older people in a
community but also afflict the younger people who are working. Due to debilitating and
progressive nature of the disease, COPD interferes with a persons’ capability to work and
thus decreases the overall productivity and loss of wages among the employees and the
workers in working community (Cuthbert et al., 2019). High severity of COPD affects an
individual’s strenuous activities and thus affects the population of any age, sex or race and
inhibiting any active participation of the individual suffering from COPD. The older people
in the community have a major setback as they lose their mobility due to age and severity of
the disease thus leading to social isolation. The participation rate of people in the community
development decreases as the people suffering from the decrease cannot be active and fragile
enough to get involved and work like normal people (Butler et al., 2019). The symptom of
COPD like breathlessness increases the anxiety level of an individual thus they isolate
themselves and cannot enjoy in the community and socialise effectively.
2) The role of physician in treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is considered under chronic disease,
which affects an individual breathing movement eventually making the patient restless and
difficulty in breathing. There is no such cure for COPD hence it is very crucial for the doctor
to diagnose the condition as early as possible (Vega et al., 2019). Once the physician or
specialist diagnose the condition they will advise the patient with different methods to be
active and healthy with effective medication and treatment in order to reduce the symptoms
of COPD. Other than medication and treatment the doctor will also advise certain changes to
be adopted in patient’s life such as change of diet, routine exercise and quitting smoking.

2HEALTH PRACTICE
Doctor considered for treating COPD are pulmonologist and respiratory therapist (RT) who
are proficient health professionals specialized in treating lung problems. They will guide the
patient with effective breathing treatment and different exercises to successfully treat
problems like COPD (Lippiett et al., 2019). The doctor can understand the symptoms of
diseases and can analyse effective treatment and diagnosis approaches for the patient
suffering from COPD with proper counselling and medication approach.

3HEALTH PRACTICE
References
Cuthbert, J. J., Kearsley, J. W., Kazmi, S., Kallvikbakka-Bennett, A., Weston, J., Davis, J., ...
& Clark, A. L. (2019). The impact of heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease on mortality in patients presenting with breathlessness. Clinical Research in
Cardiology, 108(2), 185-193.
Butler, S. J., Ellerton, L., Goldstein, R. S., & Brooks, D. (2019). Prevalence of lung cancer in
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review. Respiratory Medicine:
X, 100003.
Vega-Sánchez, Á. E., Téllez-Navarrete, N. A., & Pérez-Padilla, R. (2019). Chronic
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Perspectives for Primary Health Care. Revista de
Investigación Clínica, 71(1), 55-63.
Lippiett, K. A., Richardson, A., Myall, M., Cummings, A., & May, C. R. (2019). Patients and
informal caregivers’ experiences of burden of treatment in lung cancer and chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): a systematic review and synthesis of
qualitative research. BMJ open, 9(2), e020515.