Lung Testing at the Library Increases COPD Awareness and Support

For more than 60 residents of Carpinis, Romania, a recent visit to the library was far from typical. Instead of checking out books or looking for information on the Internet, a doctor and a spirometer were waiting for them. This was a rare opportunity to receive medical care and advice without having to travel to urban areas and an innovative use of the library to improve community health. “My health is not good at all, I had a heart attack some time ago and I tire easily. I can’t afford to go to the hospital every time I need to, but I try to have tests every time I have a chance,” Petru Țăranu explained. Ioan Get added that it was difficult to see a doctor in the commune: “We have no specialists here; we would need to go to Timisoara or some other city. At the library, it’s easy to come. Everybody knows where it is.”

Rural libraries from nine counties took part in a campaign initiated by GlaxoSmithKline and two Romanian NGOs to raise awareness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an illness that affects more than 1 million Romanians. World Health Organization data shows that Romania ranks third in Europe in terms of the incidence of COPD among men. Medical services are not very well organized in rural areas, and people frequently disregard symptoms. Because of this, the campaign went beyond spirometry (lung capacity) tests to include detailed explanations from doctors about COPD and its symptoms.

Curcani is a poor community in Romania, where over 50% of the residents are Roma and there are minimal social services. With the support of city leaders, librarian Nicoleta Eftene has put the library on the map by hosting community events, including lung capacity tests. “I want people to see there’s still a spark of life in this little library. When we invited people to be tested, they were reluctant at first. They couldn’t believe that they could check their health at the library for free. I keep telling them: when you hear of something happening at the library, it’s always free!”

For pulmonologist Igor Adascalita, meeting people at the library was effective outreach: “The librarian organized it very well, targeting peoplewho fit the profile for the disease. Out of 30 people, we discovered seven cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This is what we call preventative action, and it’s very important for asthma and other chronic illnesses.”

Librarian Mihaela Tanasa of Popricani also organized lung testing for her patrons. She believes: “This is not only about the spirometry itself, but also about other information the people receive. We had about 100 people checked today and all left with a brochure, with advice and some ideas about where to go for treatment.”

The opportunity to combine the missions of public libraries to provide information resources and a space for the community with health services ordinarily unavailable to rural populations is a powerful demonstration of how dedicated librarians are developing diverse partnerships to bring new services to their communities.

Biblionet is a five year IREX program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that equips libraries with computers and helps librarians implement new services.