HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.C.R. NO. |
154 |
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2012 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO DEVELOP a state action plan to combat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease IN THE STATE.
WHEREAS, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common adult respiratory diseases and the third leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of disability; and
WHEREAS, this debilitating disease refers to a group of diseases that cause airflow blockage and breathing-related problems, and includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and in some cases, asthma; and
WHEREAS, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is an enormous burden to society, in terms of direct costs to healthcare services, indirect costs through loss of productivity, and deterioration of personal health and well-being; and
WHEREAS, according to the National Institutes of Health, the annual costs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exceeds $32 billion annually; and
WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that in the United States, while tobacco use is a key factor in the development and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, other factors such as asthma, exposure to air pollutants in the home and workplace, genetic factors, and respiratory infections also play a role; and
WHEREAS, although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has received increasing attention from the medical community in recent years, and despite the enormous costs and high prevalence of this disease, it is still relatively unknown by the public and scant attention has been given to educating the public about this disease and informing them about preventive measures and effective treatments to combat this disease; and
WHEREAS, in 1998, in an effort to bring more attention to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, its management, and its prevention, a group of scientists encouraged the United States National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the World Health Organization to form the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; and
WHEREAS, similar to the national and global initiatives, a state action plan is necessary to combat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with an emphasis on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2012, the Senate concurring, that the Department of Health is requested to develop a state action plan to combat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the State; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in developing a state action plan to combat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the Department of Health is requested to include the following components:
(1) Education and awareness;
(2) Health care, including diagnosis, treatment, and management; and
(3) Data and surveillance; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Health is requested to submit:
(1) A report of its progress in developing the state action plan to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2013; and
(2) A copy of the state action plan to the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2014; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor of the State of Hawaii and the Director of Health.
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OFFERED BY: |
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease