Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Women

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - Women in United States

United States

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic lung disease that slowly damages 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. 

Medical costs attributable to COPD were projected to increase from $32.1 billion in 2010 to $49 billion in 2020.

The prevalence of COPD is higher among: 

• Women ages 35-44 compared with women ages 18-24 and 25-34. 
• Multiracial, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Black and white women compared with Hispanic and Asian women. 
• Women with less than a college degree; 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 $75,000 or more have the lowest prevalence.

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 at home and work.
• Asking physicians about pulmonary rehabilitation or a personalized COPD management program.
• Taking medications that could lessen the symptoms such as coughing and wheezing.
• Receiving supplemental oxygen therapy.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple goals related to COPD, including reducing COPD-related deaths and hospitalizations.

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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2014. “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. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24455788/.