COPD in Rural Communities
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Living in a rural area could put you at higher risk for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a serious lung condition that can make it difficult to breathe.
How common is COPD? COPD is: the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S.; the cause of more than 140,000 deaths per year; more than 2x as common in rural areas as in large cities.
Why is COPD more common in rural areas? Some jobs in rural industries put you at higher risk for COPD: Mining, manufacturing, farm work. Take action: Talk to your employer about protecting yourself from dust, fumes, and smoke. Rural smoking rates are higher. Cigarette smoking is the #1 cause of COPD. Smoking is nearly 2x as common in rural areas compared to cities. Take action: Don’t smoke or vape. It’s never too late to quit. Getting medical care can be harder in rural areas. Rural counties average 7 doctors per 10,000 residents. People in rural counties travel an average 18 miles for medical care. Take action: Ask about telehealth and phone visits, which can make it easier to talk to a health professional.
Talk to a healthcare provider about: symptoms like wheezing, chest tightness, ongoing cough with mucus, or shortness of breath; vaccines for flu, RSV, pneumococcal disease, and COVID-19; COPD management after a diagnosis.
COPD is: the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S.; the cause of more than 140,000 deaths per year; more than 2 times as common in rural areas as in large cities. nhlbi.nih.gov/breathebetter
Some jobs in rural industries put you at higher risk for COPD. Mining; Manufacturing; Farm work. Take action: Talk to your employer about protecting yourself from dust, fumes, and smoke. nhlbi.nih.gov/breathebetter
Rural smoking rates are higher. Cigarette smoking is the #1 cause of COPD. Smoking is nearly 2x as common in rural areas compared to cities. Take action: Don’t smoke or vape. It’s never too late to quit. nhlbi.nih.gov/breathebetter
Getting medical care can be harder in rural areas. Rural counties average 7 doctors per 10,000 residents. People in rural counties travel an average 18 miles for medical care. Take action: Ask about telehealth and phone visits, which can make it easier to talk to a health professional. nhlbi.nih.gov/breathebetter
Symptoms like wheezing, chest tightness, ongoing cough with mucus, or shortness of breath; vaccines for flu, RSV, pneumococcal disease, and COVID-19; COPD management after a diagnosis. nhlbi.nih.gov/breathebetter