Grant: Operating Grant

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) imposes a significant burden on Canadians. COPD is responsible for more hospitalizations than any other chronic disease in Canada. COPD is currently the fourth leading cause of death among Canadians but, due to slow progress in developing better management strategies, it is projected that it will soon to climb to the third place. Despite such a high burden, more than 50% of Canadians with COPD remain undiagnosed. Currently, there are controversies in whether earlier diagnosis of COPD through screening or case detection interventions, combined with interventions such as smoking cessation and drug therapies, can reduce the future burden of COPD. Screening and case detection interventions can be designed in different ways, and their benefits can be materialized over several years. Therefore, no single study is likely to provide all the evidence that is needed for evidence-based decision making. As a result, we currently do not know the answer to questions such as "What is the long-term health and economic impact of case detection strategies in COPD?", and "In different groups of individuals, which case detection strategy is the most cost-effective?". Addressing these questions requires dedicated efforts in combining knowledge from multiple sources and developing a framework for predicting the impact of interventions on the future burden of COPD. We have created a pan-Canadian team with significant experience in COPD research, health policy, and clinical practice to develop such a framework. Once developed, this "decision tool" can also be used to address several other questions in COPD care. Such a decision tool can enable policy makers and best practice experts to formulate the most efficient COPD management strategies. It can also help researchers invest research funds in areas that provide the highest value to patients and the society.