Spirometry - Underutilized in India

19 Apr, 14

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SPIROMETRY - UNDERUTILIZED IN INDIA

Aim

To study the use of spirometry amongst practicing clinicians in India and to understand the common reasons for not using spirometry in clinical practice.

Method

3750 doctors across India were randomly selected and invited to fill in a one-page questionnaire that investigated the use of spirometry in clinical practice.

The questionnaire included:
- Qualifications and years of practice of the practicing physician
- GP/Gen. Physician/Chest Physician/Pediatrician/Others
- Number of asthma patients seen per week
- Number of COPD patients seen per week
- In what % of asthma and COPD patients do you get Spirometry done
- If you do not use Spirometry, what is the reason?
  - No access to Spirometry
  - Patients cannot afford the test
  - I do not believe that Spirometry is useful
  - Spirometry is a difficult test to perform
  - Spirometry is difficult to interpret
  - I refer all patients to a Pulmonologist

Results

Out of 3750 doctors, 1714 returned the completed questionnaire (45.7% response rate).

Data was obtained from:

256 General Practitioners
717 General Physicians
458 Chest Physicians
209 Pediatricians
74 Others

Conclusions

Around 10% of general practitioners, 20% of general physicians, 55% of chest physicians and 5% of pediatricians used spirometry in clinical practice for patients with obstructive lung disease.
The most common causes of not using spirometry were lack of access to spirometer and non-affordability of the test by the patients.
Spirometry should be made more accessible to clinicians in India and at an affordable price to patients.
Spirometry remains underutilized in clinical practice in India, and may thereby contribute to significant under-diagnosis and under-treatment.
Clinicians in India need to be motivated to use spirometry routinely in clinical practice.

Presented at American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) Annual Conference, 2005.

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