Association between chronic airflow obstruction and socio-economic position in Morocco: BOLD results

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD) is the third most common cause of death in the world. Factors other than smoking, such as socio-economic status, could be involved in the development of COPD. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between chronic airflow obstruction and socio-economic status in Morocco. DESIGN: Questionnaires were administered and spirometry tests performed as part of the BOLD (Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease) Study carried out in Fez, Morocco. Socio-economic status was evaluated using a wealth score (0-10) based on household assets. The ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) to forced vital capacity (FVC) was used to measure airflow obstruction. RESULTS: A total of 760 subjects were included in the analysis. The mean age was 55.3 years (standard deviation [SD] 10.2); the average wealth score was 7.54 (SD 1.63). After controlling for other factors and potential confounders, FEV 1 /FVC increased by 0.4% (95%CI 0.01-0.78; P CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that airflow obstruction is associated with poverty in Morocco. Further investigations are needed to better understand the mechanisms of this association.