Building REsearch Across THE WorLd in Lung disease
Breathe Well South America is a four-year research programme (2024-2028) funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The research will address poor and inequitable access to quality primary healthcare for patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Co-led with the Universidad Científica del Sur (UCSUR) in Peru, Breathe Well South America builds on the £2 million NIHR Global Health Research Group on Global COPD in Primary Care and its first Breathe Well project. More information on Breathe Well South America can be found here.
The NIHR Global Health Research Group on Global COPD in Primary Care was formed in June 2017 and led by Professor Rachel Jordan and Professor Peymané Adab. All the latest live Breathe Well information is hosted by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group, our international stakeholder engagement partner, and can be found on the IPCRG website.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a long-term incapacitating respiratory condition, responsible for substantial ill health, and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. The main causes, including smoking and exposure to indoor and outdoor air pollution are more common in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Disease burden disproportionately affects the most disadvantaged populations in LMICs.
However, awareness of COPD is very low. Over half of people who have COPD do not know they have the condition and are not receiving treatment which could help them. Local community healthcare systems are in development and limited treatment is available, especially in poorer areas. Services to help smokers quit are patchy, inhaler medications are often too expensive and other forms of effective treatment eg education, support for physical activity and management of breathlessness are rarely available. Improving access to healthcare and identification of cost-effective approaches for earlier detection, smoking cessation and pulmonary rehabilitation for people with COPD are part of the WHO four global priorities for non-communicable diseases.
Using this knowledge and expertise the Breathe Well Directors formed partnerships with teams in four LMICs – China, Brazil, Georgia and Republic of North Macedonia and the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG), a charity with more than 30 countries as members which aims to promote the improvement of treatment for patients with lung diseases worldwide, through education & research.
This research was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), NIHR global group on global COPD in primary care, University of Birmingham, (project reference: 16/137/95) using UK aid from the UK Government to support global health research. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the UK Department of Health and Social Care.