Psycho-Social Interventions in Management of Long Term Health Care Needs in a Case of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Free Essay Example, 3000 words

More than half manifests a productive cough and half of the cases passed the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria for emphysema. Age, gender, race, smoking history, blood type, alpha1-antitrypsin variation, socioeconomic status, occupation, pollution exposure, and infections are the known risk factors for developing COPD. The race is also a factor in developing COPD, wherein whites have an odds ratio of 3.1 in dying from this condition (Meyer et al, 2002) though African Americans appear to be more susceptible to the effects of COPD than whites (Chatila et al, 2004). Among those risk factors, smoking is the most prominent cause of COPD. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 40% to 74% who die from COPD are smokers (Mannino Buist, 2007). Meyer et al (2002) reveal more than 80% of deaths from those who experienced smoking before and during COPD morbidity, while the odds ratio of those who currently smoke versus those who stopped smoking are 6.5 and 3. Aside from irritants from smoking, occupational-related vapors, gas, dust, and fumes exposure is also a risk in developing COPD (Blanc et al, 2009). We will write a custom essay sample on Psycho-Social Interventions in Management of Long Term Health Care Needs in a Case of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page These air pockets increase the lung area that cannot facilitate gas and blood exchange, thus this is where the manifestations of emphysema set in. As the gas exchange is altered, oxygen and carbon dioxide are not effectively exchanged. With decreasing oxygen concentration while increasing carbon dioxide concentration in the blood, increase in respiratory effort is stimulated, resulting in progressive dyspnea.