Addressing Health Inequalities – The British Lung Foundation Early Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Consortium Cohort study
COPD is one of the major drivers of social inequality in health. While lung health is improving among more well-educated sections of the population and those choosing not to smoke, a similar trend has not been seen in socially deprived areas. In Manchester, deaths caused by COPD and lung cancer are among the highest in the UK.
The project:
Our researchers are recruiting 125 young smokers – who often neglect the fact they are at risk – as part of a UK multi-centre study. We will follow participants for three years, examining them in detail, with the hope to help find out more about this disease.
A researcher perspective:
This is a challenging study, but it makes so much sense to focus on early disease instead of waiting for the disease to reach a stage where we can do little, and have failed to learn enough about the biological factors leading to this dreadful disease.
Professor Jørgen Vestbo
Respiratory Theme Lead