International COPD Awareness and Knowledge in the General Public: A Systematic Review

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite being preventable and treatable, poor awareness and knowledge of COPD pose a critical barrier to disease prevention and early diagnosis. Previous research has confirmed a paucity of disease awareness in clinician and patients, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This systematic review assessed awareness and knowledge of COPD in the broader general population internationally. Methods: Seven databases were searched for studies involving adults from the general public without a COPD diagnosis or clinical expertise. Eligible studies assessed awareness of COPD (existence of the condition), with a secondary aim of synthesising data on disease-pertinent knowledge (e.g. symptoms and risk factors). Results: Nineteen studies from ten countries across low-, middle-, and high-income settings were included. Awareness of COPD was consistently poor, regardless of the socioeconomic status of the country of study. There was similarly suboptimal knowledge of symptoms, signs, and most risk factors of the disease, apart from smoking which was consistently recognised as a key risk factor for COPD. Younger age was the only factor consistently associated with greater disease awareness. Social media and television were the main sources of COPD information, preferred over clinician-provided knowledge. Conclusion: Public awareness and knowledge of COPD remain suboptimal globally and should be prioritised to support disease prevention and early intervention. Policy makers should prioritise social media and television fora to disseminate key information about COPD the general public and vulnerable groups therein.