Background: In Japan, people are typically aware of tuberculosis (TB) as a respiratory infection, but awareness of nontuberculous
mycobacteriosis is lacking. In 2014, the estimated incidence of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) in Japan
exceeded that of TB. Furthermore, the risk of infection is increasing because of the lack of public awareness regarding the high
incidence of NTM-PD. The purpose of this study was to determine and raise the public awareness of NTM-PD, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD), and pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in Japan.
Methods: A questionnaire survey was administered to 845 subjects who participated in and consented to a pulmonary age measurement
event in Tokyo, Japan. The questions included items related to age, sex, smoking history, previous lung age measurement experience,
and assessment of awareness of respiratory diseases such as NTM-PD and COPD, and PR awareness.
Results: Awareness of NTM-PD was significantly lower (5.9%) than that of other diseases and independently of age. Of the subjects
questioned, 10.3% had experienced PR and 18.6% were aware about PR. Those individuals who were aware of lung age measurement,
PR, and other respiratory diseases were more likely to be aware of NTM-PD than those who were unaware.
Conclusions: The general public is largely unaware of NTM-PD, regardless of age. In the future, more proactive educational activities
targeting a wide range of age groups through different events such as lung age measurement are needed.
Attitude Survey on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Lung Age Measurement in a Health Festival for Citizens
