A Charles Sturt University (CSU) research project aims to estimate the number of people aged 55 to 75 years with respiratory disease in the Federal electorate of Calare. Dr Debbie Burton, a senior lecturer and Associate Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at CSU’s Orange Campus, says the project will screen a sample of people for asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). “People generally know if they have asthma but because the loss of lung function occurs slowly and progressively with COPD many people don’t know they have the problem until their lung function is reduced to 50% of normal. They put their shortness of breath down to ageing or lack of fitness,” Dr Burton said. “The delay in diagnosis of COPD increases the risk of also getting heart problems, but once a diagnosis is made, people can be managed medically, so the quality of life can be improved and the diseases progresses at a slower rate”. The results of this study will be used to identify ways to more easily screen people in the age range most likely to have COPD so as to detect the disease earlier. If you are aged 55 to 75 years, live in the Calare electoral district and are interested in participating in the lung health screening project, please call Dr Debbie Burton on (02) 6365 7828 or Ms Natalie Milic (02) 6365 7774.