The Perception of Physicians on Gender-Specific Differences in the Diagnosis of COPD: Results from a Questionnaire-Based Survey

Figures & data

Table 1 Physicians’ Response to Gender Differences in Incidence, Risk Factors, Symptoms and Quality of Life in Patients with COPD

Questionnaire	Physicians’ Response (N=132)
Based on Your Clinical Experience, Do You Find That	Yes n (%)	No n (%)	Uncertain n (%)
Prevalence of COPD is greater in men than women*	90 (68.7)	26 (19.8)	15 (11.5)
There are more new females with COPD than new males with COPD*	73 (55.7)	30 (22.9)	28 (21.4)
The risk factors for COPD are different in women versus men*	56 (42.7)	57 (43.5)	18 (13.7)
The effect of smoking has a greater impact on women’s lung health than on men’s^†	70 (53.8)	33 (25.4)	27 (20.8)
Women report more severe symptoms for a given FEV1 than men*	82 (62.6)	22 (16.8)	27 (20.6)
Women with COPD have a reduced quality of life compared to men with COPD*	86 (65.6)	20 (15.3)	25 (19.1)
Women experience more exacerbations of COPD than men^†	47 (36.2)	37 (28.5)	46 (35.4)

Notes: *One physician did not respond; ^†two physicians did not respond. FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second.

Figure 1 Physicians’ perception on the most important issue leading to gender differences in COPD.

Figure 2 Physicians’ perception on gender-specific differences in incidence of comorbidities in patients with COPD.

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Figure 3 Proportion of physicians who systematically examine for osteoporosis and would change the treatment approach based on existing osteoporosis in COPD patients.

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.