Epidemiology of COPD Incidence

Worldwide

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a significant global health issue. In 2010, the global prevalence of COPD was estimated to be 11.7%, with approximately 384 million people affected. This represents a notable increase from 227.3 million cases in 1990, indicating a 68.9% rise over two decades. The highest prevalence was recorded in the Americas at 15.2%, while the lowest was in South East Asia at 9.7% [1].

USA

In the United States, COPD affects a significant portion of the population. In 2011, the age-standardized prevalence was reported to be 6.1%, which slightly decreased to 6.0% by 2021. This relatively stable trend suggests that the incidence of COPD has plateaued in recent years [2]. Another study indicated that the prevalence of COPD among adults aged ≥18 years did not change significantly from 2011 to 2021 [3].