National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships
American Lung Association Partnership
American Lung Association provides resources for Veterans with COPD in rural areas
Nearly 37 million people in the United States live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and other chronic lung diseases. Veterans and Service members are more likely to use tobacco products than their civilian counterparts, especially male Veterans, rural Veterans, and military personnel who have been deployed, which increases the risk of developing lung disease. Due to higher rates of exposure to hazardous situations—like toxic air pollutants, oil well fires, and open-air burn pits—Veterans are more at risk of developing COPD.
COPD is a preventable and treatable disease that can be more difficult to manage for Veterans living in rural areas. Challenges include finding the right type of care, having medication shipped to their home, and limited access to the internet—which providers are increasingly using to offer services and resources to Veterans that need to access care during the coronavirus pandemic.
In 2020, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) partnered with American Lung Association (ALA) with the shared goal to improve Veterans’ health and well-being through education and services for Veterans living with lung disease. This partnership adds to the support and resources VA offers to Veterans, their families, caregivers, and survivors, such as the research on respiratory health, S.A.V.E. Training, and VA Partnership to Increase Access to Lung Screening demonstration project.
“We are trying to bring care to patients, not patients to care,” said Dr. David Au, co-director of VA Center of Innovation for Veteran-Centered and Value-Driven Care. He is one of the physicians involved with the partnership between VA and ALA.
By working together, VA and ALA are increasing Veterans’ access to information about lung disease via resources and programs such as ALA’s Better Breathers Network, the COPD Action Plan and Management Tool, and the Lung HelpLine at 800-LUNG-USA. ALA can deliver many of these programs close to patientss or virtually, allowing rural Veterans to use them no matter their proximity to VA facilities.
“We recognize that COPD affects patients regardless of geography,” Dr. Au said. “We are implementing programs to break down traditional barriers by moving programs that traditionally are within medical center to Veterans at their home or CBOC [community based outpatient clinic].”
According to VA, activities associated with military life may impact how early Veterans show signs of COPD compared to the general population. Since Veterans are at a higher risk for lung conditions such as COPD, ALA recommends they know the warning signs and risks, so Veterans screen for the disease and explore treatment at an earlier stage.
Symptoms that may indicate needing to seek a consultation with a health care provider include chest tightness, a cough that lasts longer than eight weeks, and shortness of breath that doesn’t go away after exercise.
If you or a Veteran you know has exhibited these symptoms or been exposed to these risk factors, please reach out to a health care provider or the Lung HelpLine for any questions about COPD or lung health overall.
The Veterans Health Administration’s National Center for Healthcare Advancement and Partnerships (HAP) is proud to serve as a trusted resource and catalyst for the growth of partnerships such as this one with ALA. To learn more about HAP’s work and other partnerships, visit https://www.va.gov/healthpartnerships.
For more information on ALA, visit https://www.lung.org/.
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Posted January 31, 2022
