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Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the second leading cause of mortality in India; however, there are no programs for COPD in India at primary care level. Kerala became the first state in India to implement a program at primary care for COPD, called the Step Wise Approach to Airway Syndrome program. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate and document the implementation status of a program for obstructive airway disease (OAD) in Trivandrum district of Kerala state in India and compare the treatment characteristics of patients with OAD seeking care from the centers implementing and not implementing this program for OADs. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done as early evaluation of a program for OAD implemented in Kerala state, India, from October 2018 to February 2019. Results: A reflection of the health-seeking behavior due to better facilities at the FHCs. There was no difference in the hospital visits or emergency department visits between the two groups. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the average number of visits per patient to health center for taking injectable drugs and visits for nebulization. Forty-nine (94%) of the COPD and 36 (100%) of the asthma patients underwent spirometry from implementing center itself. A higher proportion of patients receiving care from implementing centers (30.9%) never had to buy inhalers from outside. Conclusion: This is the first time that a public health programme for chronic respiratory disease management at primary care level was evaluated in India. The study has provided valuable insights on the need for strengthening the training for health care providers as well as patient education in bringing about a change in patient attitudes.

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Background: India is initiating measures to address Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) and Asthma, major causes of mortality and morbidity, at the primary care level. The efforts are limited by the lack of access to spirometry. Various alternatives are being tried out in resource limited countries. Methods: A hospital based cross-sectional study was done at two tertiary care hospitals in Trivandrum, South India, in patients with a clinical diagnosis of COPD or Asthma. Spirometry was done by a trained spirometry technician, along with peak-flow recording and a recording on portable mini-spirometer (COPD6 ®). The values obtained by the latter two were compared to those obtained by spirometry. Results: The study included 360 patients. PEFR showed a positive correlation with both FEV1/FVC as well as FEV1 (R2 of 0.35 and 0.65, respectively). FEV1/FEV6 and FEV1 on COPD6 also correlated positivity with FEV1 and FEV1/FVC on spirometry (R2 of 0.68 and 0.89, respectively). Sensitivity and specificity of PEFR to diagnose obstruction was best at a cut-off of 74% of predicted, as determined by ROC, giving sensitivity of 84.8% and specificity of 85.1%. Sensitivity and specificity of COPD6 to detect obstruction was 75.9% and 95.7%, respectively. Conclusion: Mini-spirometry (COPD6) and peak-flow measurement may be used as alternatives to spirometry in resource limited settings as in the primary care centers of India for the diagnosis of obstructive airway diseases.