Veterans aren’t using puffers properly
As many as four in five veterans with pulmonary diseases are not inhaling their medication correctly.
About four in five of the 50,000 veterans who use puffers do not inhale their medications properly.
Speaking at the launch of the Commonwealth Government’s Prevent Puffer Problems campaign, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, said that about 40,000 veterans were affected by puffer problems.
Mr Griffin said it was “alarming” to learn that so many veterans fail to use their medication properly.
“In researching [Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease], my Department found that many busy health professionals weren’t easily able to demonstrate the latest correct techniques to their patients, or assumed that their patients knew how to use the devices properly,” he said.
The Prevent Puffer Problems campaign encourages veterans to check their inhaled medication technique with local pharmacists.
The campaign will provide educational materials for GPs and pharmacists, and it will focus on the diagnosis, treatment and management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
“Preventing Puffer Problems is especially important for veterans with long-standing respiratory illnesses,” Mr Griffin said.
“Our aim is to reduce hospital admissions and improve quality of life and enjoyment for tens of thousands of members of the veteran community.”
