The American Lung Association reports that 11 states have the highest COPD rates – and the highest burden as a result of those rates – in the country.
Topping the list were Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Maine, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia. Overall state prevalence rates range from 3.7% in Hawaii to 13.6% in West Virginia.
Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, said the newly released information can help the medical community determine how to best treat COPD going forward.
“These new state briefs highlight key indicators for COPD, such as air quality, tobacco use, education, income level and vaccination rate, which can help us determine where to focus our prevention efforts and help those most impacted by the disease,” he said.
The goal of the COPD State Briefs is to empower public health and health care professionals to take actionable steps to prevent the onset of illness, reduce health inequities, set goals for earlier diagnosis and ensure clinical guidelines are used to manage and treat COPD, including:
- Use a validated COPD screening tool for people who may be at risk of COPD or reporting symptoms.
- Confirm a COPD diagnosis using spirometry, especially in primary care.
- Use evidence-based tobacco prevention and cessation services.
- Promote recommended vaccinations.
- Recommend pulmonary rehabilitation, COPD education and a COPD Action Plan.
The COPD State Briefs were created with support by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nationwide, approximately 5% of adults or 12.5 million people, are living with COPD, with 536,000 hospitalizations and 139,000 deaths each year. Treatment costs an estimated $50 billion annually.
In West Virginia, the state with the highest rate of COPD prevalence, more than 186,000 adults a year are diagnosed with COPD. Those who are most likely to have worse outcomes and barriers to treatment are those living in rural communities with lower income levels and lower educational levels.
