Prevalence of COPD

Prevalence of COPD

Question 1:

1. Comparison of the Patterns COPD Morbidity Rate in UK and Afghanistan

The population of people living COPD is high in Afghanistan as compared with those in the UK. The report shows that Afghanistan was among the most top nations with disease burden in 2015 (Varmaghani et al., 2019). However, smoking between the two countries is high. Considering that risk factors of COPD are is air pollution and smoking, populations of people living with it are high in the two countries. Air pollution is high in Afghanistan as compared to the UK. The probable reason that results in a high case of COPD in Afghanistan is the combination of both risk factors. The number of people living with COPD is increasing in Afghanistan, while in the UK, it is continually decreasing with years as of 2008 (Varmaghani et al., 2019). The number of males affected by the condition in both nations is high as compared with females. The case of death due to COPD is reported to be high in Afghanistan than in the UK. This is because the government of the UK has attempted to take the corrective measures of the situation at hand. In contrast, Afghanistan has lagged in implementing policies that can remedy the condition.

The number of young people smoking in the UK is less as compared to that in Afghanistan. The trend in Afghanistan in the use of tobacco is growing among the youth while it is reducing in the UK. The number of being diagnosed with COPD in the UK is decreasing while, on the contrary, it is growing in Afghanistan.

1. Self-reflection

From the analysis of data of COPD in two nations, it is possible to tell the risk factors associated with the condition of each nation. In Afghanistan, other than age, neglect is a significant cause of the growing state of COPD in the country. The authority and society have failed to take the appropriate measures to reduce the high rate of death due to smoking and air pollution in the country. The risk factor mentioned above in Afghanistan mostly affects the young adult of age below thirty. In the UK, the risk factor that can be attributed to the current condition of COPD is money and idleness. This is popular among old age. They stay idle and have money; thus, they regularly keep on smoking.

Question 4:

1. Six MPOWER Measures

MPOWER is a set of six cost-effective impact measures applicable to aiding the nations to minimize people’s demand for tobacco.  Below is a list of MPOWER measures:

Monitoring tobacco use and prevention policies

The country has thus failed to monitor as well as to put in place policies to prevent the use of tobacco.  It is unfortunate that the prime minister himself, Xanana Gusmao uses it and admits he is an addict (“The country that’s hooked on tobacco,” 2020).  The leader says it not easy to ban cigarettes, but instead, people should be taught about the danger accrued to use of it, but he has not implemented the policy in his country.

Protecting people from tobacco smoke

In East Timor, according to a BBC report, tobacco use is done everywhere in bar restaurants and even in schools (“The country that’s hooked on tobacco,” 2020). The authority has not put policies to warn smokers from using cigarettes in public. While we expect the school to be a free smoking zone, a reporter says he evidenced the use of cigarettes in classrooms by a teacher.

Offering help to quit tobacco use

A woman from Australia has attempted to fight cigarette use in East Timor (“The country that’s hooked on tobacco,” 2020). She is an anti-cancer campaigner considering she has breast cancer. She is thus ready and devoted to offering help among the country’s population to stop or rather minimize the use of tobacco.

Warning about the dangers of tobacco

The prime minister thought he admits being an addict, he at the same time warns the public the risk associated with the use of tobacco (“The country that’s hooked on tobacco,” 2020). This is through his interview with BBC reporter. The authority has failed in sending a warning alarm among the youth as there is no education program evidence in schools according to a BBC report aimed at waging a fight to tobacco use.

Enforcing bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship

The country has failed by failing to ban the use of posters advertising cigarettes. Even after many countries in the world wage a campaign for their ban, East Timor has not shown any effort to ensure no posters on Tobacco sales are in public places. The society itself has continually accepted the use of posters in the streets.

Raising taxes on tobacco

The reporter says that a packet of cigarettes goes at less than one dollar (“The country that’s hooked on tobacco,” 2020). They are thus cheap and easily affordable by youth in this country. The government has failed as it has not attempted to discourage tobacco use by imposing a high tax on them, both to the sellers and buyers.

1. Reference

The country that’s hooked on tobacco. BBC News. (2020). Retrieved 26 February 2020, from

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27677882.

References

The country that’s hooked on tobacco. BBC News. (2020). Retrieved 26 February 2020, from

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27677882.

Varmaghani, M., Dehghani, M., Heidari, E., Sharifi, F., Moghaddam, S. S., & Farzadfar, F.

(2019). The global prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: systematic review and meta-analysis. East Mediterr Health J, 25(1), 47-57.