EFA Member, Austrian Lung Union launched a COPD awareness raising campaign featuring a “COPD tram” running through the heart of Vienna.
COPD is a serious lung disease affecting up to 800,000 people in Austria, yet there is little knowledge among the general population. According to an Austria-wide study from 2021, 4 out of 10 Austrians do not know the term COPD, a number that only increases among younger survey respondents aged 15-30. In addition to low awareness of the disease, its symptoms and risk factors are often trivialised.
The COPD tram features pictures, exemplifying the diversity of COPD patients and their demands. They are accompanied by principles of a COPD patient charter, developed by international lung experts to centre patient needs.
The tram travelled along the Wiener Linien network until World COPD Day on 16 November to draw attention to this serious chronic disease. It was also accompanied by numerous digital activities such as an extensive video series about COPD.
Find more information about their campaign here.