Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Women

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Women in United States

United States

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes several different respiratory conditions that damage air sacs in the lungs, decreasing airflow and making it difficult to breathe. COPD is a leading cause of death in the United States. The symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath, wheezing, chest tightness, needing to clear the throat frequently and having a chronic cough. Risk factors for COPD include asthma, cigarette smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, exposure to smoke from burning fuels and long-term exposure to lung irritants. 

COPD is more common among women than men, and women are often underdiagnosed or diagnosed later than men. Women with early-onset COPD tend to have more severe symptoms than men with early-onset COPD. Women with COPD also have increased risk of other health conditions, including heart disease, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression. Adults with COPD are more likely to be unable to work than those without COPD. 

COPD cost the U.S. a projected $49 billion in medical expenses in 2020.

According to America’s Health Rankings^® data, the prevalence of COPD is higher among: 

• Women ages 35-44 compared with women ages 18-34. 
• Multiracial, American Indian/Alaska Native, Black, Hispanic and white women compared with Asian women. 
• Women with less than a college degree compared with those with higher education levels; college graduates have the lowest prevalence. 
• Women with an annual household income less than $25,000 compared with those with higher income levels; women with an income of more than $75,000 have the lowest prevalence.  
• Women who live in non-metropolitan areas compared with those who live in metropolitan areas.

Never smoking, or quitting if you have already started, is the best way to prevent COPD — nearly 80% of COPD deaths can be attributed to smoking. The American Lung Association offers many smoking cessation programs that can aid in preventing COPD. The U.S. government also maintains a website that provides tools and tips for quitting smoking.  

While COPD has no cure, people with COPD can manage its progress and symptoms. Additional strategies to prevent or treat COPD include:

• Avoiding secondhand smoke exposure at home and work.
• Asking physicians about pulmonary rehabilitation or a personalized COPD management program.
• Taking medications or using an inhaler to relieve symptoms.
• Receiving supplemental oxygen therapy.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple goals related to respiratory disease, including:

• Reducing COPD-related deaths.
• Reducing COPD hospitalizations.
• Reducing emergency department visits for COPD.

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Aryal, Shambhu, Enrique Diaz-Guzman, and David M. Mannino. “Influence of Sex on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Risk and Treatment Outcomes.” International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2014, no. 9 (October 2014): 1145–54. https://doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S54476.

Barnes, Peter J. “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Effects beyond the Lungs.” PLoS Medicine 7, no. 3 (March 16, 2010): e1000220. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000220.

DeMeo, Dawn, Sreeram Ramagopalan, Abhishek Kavati, Ashok Vegesna, Meilan Han, Anthony Yadao, Teresa Wilcox, and Barry J. Make. “Women Manifest More Severe COPD Symptoms across the Life Course.” International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 13 (October 2018): 3021–29. https://doi.org/10.2147/COPD.S160270.

Di Marco, Fabiano, Massimo Verga, Manuela Reggente, Francesca Maria Casanova, Pierachille Santus, Francesco Blasi, Luigi Allegra, and Stefano Centanni. “Anxiety and Depression in COPD Patients: The Roles of Gender and Disease Severity.” Respiratory Medicine 100, no. 10 (October 2006): 1767–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rmed.2006.01.026.

Fitzsimmons, Kathleen, Elise Pechter, and Emily Sparer-Fine. “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Employment Among Massachusetts Adults.” Preventing Chronic Disease 17 (November 19, 2020): 200116. https://doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200116.

Ford, Earl S., Louise B. Murphy, Olga Khavjou, Wayne H. Giles, James B. Holt, and Janet B. Croft. “Total and State-Specific Medical and Absenteeism Costs of COPD Among Adults Aged 18 Years in the United States for 2010 and Projections Through 2020.” Chest 147, no. 1 (January 2015): 31–45. https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.14-0972.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General.” Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health, 2014. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/sgr/50th-anniversary/index.htm.