Those who plan services for people with pulmonary fibrosis should consider deprived patients and those living far from hospital, researchers said.
Chronic lung disease patients who live in deprived areas or further away from clinics are more likely to die compared with wealthier people who live closer, a study has suggested.The study, led by the University of East Anglia , analysed data from 2,359 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis , which causes the lungs to become scarred and makes breathing increasingly difficult.
When factors such as smoking, gender, age and distance to hospital were considered, the risk of death was still 39%.There was a 34% increased risk of death among patients living furthest away compared with those living closest.Professor Andrew Wilson, of UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “This is the first time that social deprivation and travelling distance to hospital has been linked to survival for people with pulmonary fibrosis living in the UK.
The study also found that 40% of patients had symptoms for more than two years before being seen in a specialist clinic.According to the NHS, the reasons for the condition developing are unclear, although it has been linked to exposure to certain types of dust, viral infections, smoking, acid reflux and a family history of IPF.
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