Case finding for COPD in primary care: a qualitative study of the views of health professionals

Figures & data

Table 1 Topic prompt

• Please tell me about any experience you have had looking after patients with COPD.

• What are your thoughts on screening or case finding for COPD?

• How do you think it would be best to identify undiagnosed patients with COPD in the community?

• Does your practice take part in any COPD case-finding activities? Please tell me about this.

• What might be the barriers to case finding and identifying patients with COPD?

• What would help primary care services identify patients with COPD?

• We are developing an electronic tool for GPs that will help them identify which of their patients are at high risk of undiagnosed COPD. Do you think such a tool would be useful? Do you think it would be used in practice, and if so, in what way?

• Is there anything else you would like to comment about screening or case finding for COPD?

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Table 2 Practice characteristics

Characteristics of included practices		N	(%)
Total number of practices		16	(100)
Patient list size	0–5,000	5	(31.3)
	5,000–10,000	8	(50.0)
	>10,000	3	(18.8)
IMD quintile	1 (most deprived)	8	(50.0)
	2	1	(6.3)
	3	3	(18.8)
	4	4	(25.0)
	5 (least deprived)	0	(0)
Intervention arm	Targeted case finding	6	(37.5)
	Routine care	10	(62.5)

Note: IMD is a measure of socioeconomic deprivation based on postcodes.

Abbreviation: IMD, Index of Multiple Deprivation.

Table 3 Participant characteristics

Characteristics	GP		Nurse		Practice manager		Total
Number (%)	10	(50)	7	(35)	3	(15)	20	(100)
Mean age in years (range)	44.7	(31–73)	46.7	(33–54)	57.7	(55–61)	47.4	(31–73)
Male (%)	7	(70)	0	(0)	0	(0)	7	(35)
Mean years in practice (range)	13.7	(2–35)	15.7	(10–25)	16.7	(12–25)	14.9	(2–35)

Abbreviation: GP, general practitioner.

Figure 1 Summary of themes discussed by participants.

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.