Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung condition that makes it difficult to breathe and can significantly impact quality of life.
While COPD affects people across all regions, research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently found that COPD is more prevalent and often more severe in rural areas. The data from the CDC shows that:
The percentage of adults in rural areas with COPD was 8.2%, which is double that of adults with COPD in large metropolitan areas.
Hospitalizations for COPD among Medicare enrollees in rural areas were about 14 per 1,000, but only about 11 per 1,000 in large metropolitan centers.
Death rates from COPD in rural areas were about 55 people per 100,000, compared to 32 people per 100,000 in large metropolitan areas.
Khazenay Bakhsh, DO, a pulmonary disease expert at Loma Linda University Health, says that the disparity stems from a complex mix of lifestyle, healthcare, and economic factors that create unique challenges for rural populations.
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