First Report Showing State-by-State COPD Rates Published

For the first time, the federal government has compiled and released data showing the age-adjusted prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in each state. Researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were responsible for the project.

The age-adjusted prevalence of this illness varies a great deal among the states, according to Medical News Today. The 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey shows a prevalence rate of less than 4 percent in Minnesota and Washington state. Alabama and Kentucky, however, have a rate of more than 9 percent.

COPD is a chronic disorder that worsens over time, says the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Patients typically experience coughing, significant amounts of mucus, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, wheezing, and a number of other symptoms.

A majority of COPD patients are current or former smokers. Other suspected culprits are long-term exposure to irritants like dust, chemical fumes, and air pollution.

In addition to providing nationwide prevalence data, 21 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico answered questions about diagnosis and quality of life. More than 7 out of every 10 patients received a COPD diagnosis from spirometry, a short test often performed in a doctor's office. According to the Mayo Clinic, this test measures how much air a patient can inhale and exhale and how fast he or she can exhale. Numbers less than average can suggest COPD, asthma, or other respiratory conditions.

The supplementary surveys also showed that nearly 63 percent of patients felt their symptoms had an adverse effect on quality of life. More than half used at least one medication daily to help control their symptoms.

BRFSS subjects were at least 18 years old. State health departments administered surveys under the direction of the CDC. Nearly half a million individuals contributed responses to the 2011 survey, 39,000 of whom said they had COPD.

The BRFSS projected that nationwide, around 15 million adults not living in an institution have COPD, with the greatest prevalence around the Ohio and lower Mississippi rivers. Researchers believe that including older adults in nursing homes and other institutions would have generated higher numbers.

More than 40 percent of those with COPD reported a history of asthma. The prevalence of the disorder decreased as income increased and was lower among individuals who were students, homemakers, and the employed than among those not working.

My husband fights a daily battle with COPD. No one advised him of a radiologist's COPD diagnosis after tests, so he went untreated for several years. Ironically, he spent much of his life in the area of greatest geographical prevalence. For us, the first state-by-state COPD report is an important step in determining the extent and severity of this serious disorder.

Vonda J. Sines has published thousands of print and online health and medical articles. She specializes in diseases and other conditions that affect the quality of life.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-report-showing-state-state-copd-rates-published-234400363.html

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