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1		HOUSE RESOLUTION
2		WHEREAS, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is
3		an umbrella term used to describe airflow obstruction that is
4		associated mainly with emphysema and chronic bronchitis; and
5		WHEREAS, COPD affects an estimated 24 million individuals
6		in the United States and an estimated 580,000 individuals in
7		Illinois; and
8		WHEREAS, In 2010, the National Center for Health Statistics
9		released a report stating that COPD had become the third
10		leading cause of death in the United States; and
11		WHEREAS, COPD currently accounts for 1.5 million emergency
12		room visits, 699,000 hospitalizations, and 10.3 million
13		physician office and hospital outpatient visits, all of which
14		are detrimental to the United States economy; COPD costs the
15		nation an estimated $49.9 billion in direct and indirect
16		medical costs annually; and
17		WHEREAS, COPD affects an estimated 580,000 citizens of the
18		State of Illinois, with at least as many persons who are
19		estimated to be undiagnosed; Chronic Lower Respiratory
20		Disease, including COPD, is the third leading cause of death in
21		the State; the Respiratory Health Association is participating

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1		in statewide efforts to increase early detection, improve care
2		and treatment, and prevent and reduce the prevalence of the
3		disease; and
4		WHEREAS, Research has identified a hereditary protein
5		deficiency called Alpha-1 Antitrypsin; people with this
6		deficiency tend to develop COPD, despite the lack of exposure
7		to smoking and environmental triggers; and
8		WHEREAS, Women over the age of 40 are the fastest growing
9		segment of the population to develop this irreversible disease,
10		due in large part to the equalization of opportunity for men
11		and women to smoke over the past several generations; and
12		WHEREAS, There is currently no cure for COPD; spirometry
13		testing and medical treatments, such as pulmonary
14		rehabilitation, exist to address symptom relief and possibly
15		slow progression of the disease; and
16		WHEREAS, Until there is a cure, the best approaches to
17		preventing COPD and its considerable health, societal, and
18		mortality impacts lie in education, awareness, and expanded
19		delivery of detection and management protocols; and
20		WHEREAS, The Respiratory Health Association and its
21		partners from the Illinois State COPD Plan will work with the

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1		Illinois Department of Public Health and other relevant
2		partners to seek opportunities to promote awareness and
3		treatment for COPD; therefore, be it
4		RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
5		NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
6		designate the month of November as COPD Awareness Month in the
7		State of Illinois and encourage others to promote education,
8		awareness, and screening of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary
9		Disease.