B44-33 Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) Awareness Among Adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: A Community Survey

Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory condition primarily caused by smoking and air pollution. Over 90% of COPD-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Globally, COPD affects 10.6% of the population, with the highest prevalence observed in sub-Saharan Africa. Contributing factors to this burden include low health literacy, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, insufficient policy prioritization, and limited access to diagnostic resources. This study evaluates COPD awareness among adults in Ethiopia and compares it to awareness of other prevalent diseases. Methods As part of the GOLD and PATS regional education and awareness initiative in Africa, we conducted a community-based cross-sectional study from November to December 2024. Data were collected using a structured and validated awareness questionnaire developed by GOLD and PATS. We evaluated COPD awareness among 1,000 eligible adults from selected households and compared it with awareness of asthma and HIV. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to assess associations between COPD awareness and independent variables, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results Among the 1,000 participants, 503 (50.3%) were male, and approximately 34.5% were aged 30-39 years. Overall, 41.2% (95% CI: 38.1%-44.3%) reported having heard the term “COPD.” Of these, 343 (83.2%) correctly identified the lungs as the primary organ affected by COPD. However, when asked to name the disease caused by long-term tobacco smoking, only 180 (43.7%) responded with “COPD.” In contrast, awareness of other diseases was substantially higher: 913 (91.3%; 95% CI: 89.4%-93.0%) had heard of “asthma,” and 933 (93.3%; 95% CI: 91.6%-94.8%) were familiar with “HIV.” A significant association (p = 0.022) was observed between education level and COPD awareness. Notably, 73.3% of participants unaware of COPD were illiterate, compared to a lower proportion among literate individuals. Conclusion The findings reveal alarmingly low COPD awareness in the studied population, particularly regarding its association with smoking, compared to higher recognition of asthma and HIV. Illiteracy emerged as a key barrier to awareness, highlighting the need for targeted public health campaigns to improve COPD education This abstract is funded by: GOLD and PATS regional education