Chronic Respiratory Disease: Considerations within the Public Health System

Abstract

Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD) is a publichealth problem in Colombia. Its severity increasesby the presence of risk factors like firesmoke, which tend to prevail in young populationand that leads consequences at physical,social and mental level in the long run. The CRDincludes a series of clinical entities with theirown characteristics, caused by the suffering, socialisolation, physiological deterioration andthe associated morbidity. All these contributeto the functional limitation, the lost quality oflife and, ultimately, can turn the individual thatsuffers it in a dependent being without future.All this takes to a greater consumption of healthresources without this means one better attention,since in many opportunities the isolated efforts, the lack of clear rules, sustained proposalsand the non use of clinical guidelines amongother causes, allow that the intervention wouldbe destined to only palliate the present symptoms,but is far from including an integral, effectivehandling and that responds to individualnecessities. This article analyze the public norms and policies that cover patients with CRD, theaspects related to the rights to an integral, safeand real treatment in the affected individualalong with the obstacles for its accomplishment.

Keywords

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Complications
• Social Security
• Public Health