Prevalence Statistics for Types of COPD

The information below shows a list of types of COPD, with information as to the prevalence of each of these types. Estimates of the people affected are calculated based on the available statistic.

Disease	Prevalence Estimate	US people estimate	Statistic Used for Calculation
COPD (overall)	approx 1 in 20 or 4.96% or 13.5 million people in USA	13,500,000	13.5 million Americans (NHLBI)
Chronic bronchitis	approx 1 in 22 or 4.45% or 12.1 million people in USA	12,099,999	12.1 million Americans (NHLBI)
Pulmonary emphysema	approx 1 in 136 or 0.74% or 2 million people in USA	1,999,999	2 million Americans (NHLBI); 17 per 1000 - NHIS95; 2 million annually

Prevalence Statistics for COPD

Prevalance of COPD:

13.5 million Americans (NHLBI)

Prevalance Rate:

approx 1 in 20 or 4.96% or 13.5 million people in USA [about data]

Prevalance of COPD:

More than 13.5 million Americans are thought to have COPD. (Source: excerpt from What is COPD: NHLBI)

Prevelance statistics about COPD:

The following statistics relate to the prevalence of COPD:

11.4 million with COPD including 9.4 million with chronic bronchitis and 3.1 million with emphysema (NHLBI)
3.6% of population self-reported having bronchitis or emphysema in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
3.5% of male population self-reported having bronchitis or emphysema in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
3.6% of female population self-reported having bronchitis or emphysema in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
665,000 people self-reported having bronchitis or emphysema in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
316,000 men self-reported having bronchitis or emphysema in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
349,000 women self-reported having bronchitis or emphysema in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)

Types of COPD

For more information about types of COPD, refer to our section on types of COPD.

About prevalence:

The medical term 'prevalence' of COPD usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing COPD at any given time, whereas the annual diagnosis rate of new cases of COPD is called the 'incidence'. For more information on prevalence and incidence statistics, see about prevalence and incidence statistics.

» Next page: Causes of COPD

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Prevalence Statistics for Types of COPD