After reviewing data from more than 7,000 adults who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, researchers identified 524 adults, 7.6% of study participants after adjusting for age and sex, who had early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Asthma, a history of smoking, and chronic sinusitis emerged as COPD risk factors for adults younger than age 50.
Based on this review, the researchers found that asthma accounted for 26.3% of population-level risks in Hispanic and Latino adults, followed by a history of smoking (22.4%) and chronic sinusitis (6.9%). Hispanic/Latino immigrants were less likely to have COPD compared to adults born in the U.S. The study aimed to generate data about COPD risks among Hispanic and Latino adults to inform preventive strategies and to support earlier interventions.
The study was supported by NHLBI and published in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.