International Journal of COPD (Feb 2024)

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Among Users of Primary Health Care Facilities in Morocco

  • Al wachami N,
  • Arraji M,
  • Iderdar Y,
  • Mourajid Y,
  • Boumendil K,
  • Bouchachi FZ,
  • Jaouhar S,
  • Guennouni M,
  • Laamiri F,
  • Elkhoudri N,
  • Bandadi L,
  • Louerdi ML,
  • Hilali A,
  • Chahboune M

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 19
pp. 375 – 387

Abstract

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Nadia Al wachami,1 Maryem Arraji,1 Younes Iderdar,1 Yassmine Mourajid,1 Karima Boumendil,1 Fatima Zahra Bouchachi,1 Samira Jaouhar,2 Morad Guennouni,1,3 Fatimazahra Laamiri,1 Noureddine Elkhoudri,1 Lahcen Bandadi,1 Mohamed Lahbib Louerdi,4 Abderraouf Hilali,1 Mohamed Chahboune1 1Hassan First University of Settat, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Laboratory of Sciences and Health Technologies, Settat, 26000, Morocco; 2Laboratory of Microbial Biotechnology & Bioactive Molecules, Faculty of Science and Technology, University Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah Fez, Fez, BP 2202, Morocco; 3Chouaib Doukkali University of El Jadida, Higher School of Education and Training, El Jadida, Morocco; 4Provincial Delegation of Health Settat, Settat, 26000 MoroccoCorrespondence: Nadia Al wachami, Hassan First University of Settat, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Laboratory of Sciences and Health Technologies, Settat, 26000, Morocco, Tel +212622536000, Email [email protected]: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem. In Morocco, few studies have focused on COPD in primary health care facilities, whose main mission is prevention. The aim of our work is thus to assess the prevalence of COPD and to study the factors associated with this silent disease among users of health care facilities in Morocco.Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study of participants aged 40 and over. Data were collected by questionnaire. Pulmonary function testing was conducted using a spirometer before and after administration of a bronchodilator. COPD was defined as fixed ratio of the post‐bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second / forced vital capacity less than 0.7. Logistic regression models were applied to define factors associated with COPD.Results: From 550 participants aged 40 and over, we selected only 477 patients with exploitable spirometry results for inclusion in the final analysis. The mean age of participants was 54.91± 11.92 years, and the female/male ratio was 1.59. The prevalence of COPD was 6.7% (95% CI; 4.6 to 9.3%), and was higher in men than in women (11.4% vs 3.8%, p=0.002). The prevalence of COPD increased significantly with age, from 3.3% in those aged 40 to 49 to 16.9% in those aged 70 and over (p=0.001). Current smokers had a higher prevalence of COPD than former and never smokers. Age, smoking, asthma diagnosis and childhood hospitalization for lung disease were risk factors associated with the development of COPD. Only 6.25% of participants identified as having COPD had previously been diagnosed with COPD.Conclusion: COPD remains largely under-diagnosed among primary care consultants in Morocco. Efforts for early detection and promotion of prevention of the main risk factors need to be intensified in order to reduce the burden of this silent pathology on a national scale.Keywords: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Morocco, network of primary health care facilities, prevalence, risk factors, spirometry

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