TY - JOUR T1 - Gender differences in COPD management in a Sicilian general practice setting: a cohort study evaluating the impact of educational interventions JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.00279-2020 VL - 6 IS - 3 SP - 00279-2020 AU - Valentina Isgrò AU - Janet Sultana AU - Andrea Fontana AU - Valentina Ientile AU - Umberto Alecci AU - Riccardo Scoglio AU - Francesco Magliozzo AU - Salvatore Scondotto AU - Gaetano Caramori AU - Mario Cazzola AU - Gianluca Trifirò Y1 - 2020/07/01 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/6/3/00279-2020.abstract N2 - Aim The aim of this study was to measure gender differences among COPD patients' quality of care (QOC) before and after two educational interventions in Southern Italy.Methods In this prospective cohort study, COPD patients were identified from primary care electronic medical records (EMRs). Twelve process indicators concerning diagnosis, preventative measures and therapeutic processes were developed as a measure of QOC. Educational interventions consisted of clinical seminars and audits on COPD QOC at baseline, and at 12 and 24 months. QOC indicators were stratified by gender: odds ratios (ORs) (males as reference group) of having a good QOC indicator were calculated at baseline, 12 and 24 months, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using hierarchical generalised linear models.Results Of 46 326 people registered in the EMRs, 1463 COPD patients (3.1%) were identified, of which 37% were women. QOC indicators reflecting best practice 24 months after the educational programme were generally not different to baseline, often favouring men. On the other hand, the composite global QOC indicator suggested that while a good overall QOC at baseline was significantly higher in men than women (OR: 0.74; 95% CI: 0.57–0.96), it became nonsignificant at 24 months (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.72–1.29).Conclusions Specific QOC indicators among COPD patients often favoured men. However, several gender disparities seen at baseline disappeared at 24 months, suggesting that even general educational interventions which do not target gender can improve the gender disparity in QOC.This observational study shows that quality of care (QOC) is better among male COPD patients in primary care. Planned educational interventions over 24 months abolished gender difference in global QOC, although not in all QOC items. https://bit.ly/3cfwPST ER -