Pulmonary Disease in a Psychiatric Inpatient Population, a Screening Study

Purpose: Patients with mental health disorders have a reduced life expectancy, compared to the general population. The shorter life expectancy is caused by natural and unnatural death. In general, patients with a mental disorder tend to have a more unhealthy lifestyle, than the general population, characterized by e.g. lack of exercise and smoking.

Hypothesis

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is underdiagnosed in psychiatric inpatients There is a higher prevalence of COPD in psychiatric inpatients compared to the general population Screening of patients with one respiratory symptom and a smoking history, has the same sensitivity regarding to diagnosis of COPD, as screening all patients with a smoking history

Method:

80 psychiatric inpatients will undergo spirometry with reversibility test and COPD Assessment Test (CATest). Furthermore, patient history regarding respiratory symptoms and smoking will be taken into account.