Usefulness of a COPD Questionnaire in Workplace Health Examinations

Abstract

 It has recently been reported that a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) questionnaire is effective for identifying patients with air-flow limitations during general health examinations. Therefore, we used the International Primary Care Airways Group (IPAG)-COPD questionnaire to survey smokers aged ≧40 years during workplace health examinations at the Lion Corporation head office between April 2018 and December 2019. We investigated COPD diagnosis rates from the COPD questionnaire and smoking behavior modification. Air-flow limitation was defined as forced-expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁)/forced vital capacity (FVC) <70%. Among the 171 respondents, IPAG score ≧17 (abnormal) were detected in 36.3% (n=62), and air-flow limitations were identified using spirometry in 36 (58.1%) of them. The results showed that 22.2% (n=8) of these 36 employees had hitherto unidentified COPD. The questionnaire data revealed that 36.1% (n=13) of the 36 employees who underwent spirometry had undergone behavior modification to quit smoking.

 Screening for COPD using a questionnaire during workplace health examinations is more practical than spirometry and could identify many patients with COPD. We recommend applying a COPD questionnaire during more workplace health examinations as part of smoking-cessation measures to increase rates of detecting COPD. The questionnaire could be useful to preventing COPD and aggressive educational activities about COPD should be implemented as occupational health measures.