Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide, and is the third leading cause of death in the United States. COPD is a lung disease in which the elasticity of the lung tissue is diminished, lung capacity is decreased, and chronic inflammation causes difficulty breathing. This disease is most commonly diagnosed in adults over 40 years of age. There are many risk factors associated with the development of COPD, including smoking and occupational chemical and dust exposure. A significant opportunity exists to reduce the overall morbidity and mortality due to COPD, potentially resulting in U.S. health care savings of 30 billion dollars a year. How can public health professionals intervene to reduce the cost and burden of this preventable disease?
