Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Deaths

Why Is This Important?

COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is a chronic lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. It is a progressive disease, which means that the disease gets worse over time. The disease isn't passed from person to person, it is not contagious. COPD develops slowly. Symptoms often worsen over time and can limit the ability to do routine activities. Severe COPD may prevent people from doing even basic activities like walking, cooking, or taking care of themselves. COPD has no cure yet and doctors don't know how to reverse the damage to the airways and lungs. However, COPD is often preventable and treatable. Treatments and lifestyle changes can help those affected feel better, stay more active, and slow the progress of the disease. Early detection of COPD is key to successful treatment. Knowing the symptoms or exposures to risk factors (see below) may lead to early diagnosis of COPD. COPD was a major cause of disability; was the third leading cause of death in the United States in 2014. Death rates are declining nationally and in NM, declining from 43 per in 2008 to 37 per 100,000 age adjusted rate in 2019 nationally and 72 in 2008 to 66 100,000 age adjusted rate in 2020 in New Mexico,

Definition

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is a chronic lung disease that makes it hard to breathe. For this definition, a COPD death has an underlying OR CONTRIBUTING cause of death with ICD-10 codes J40-J44. Data for combined years 2010-2016.

Data Sources

• New Mexico Death Data: Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics (BVRHS), Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health.
  (https://www.nmhealth.org/about/erd/bvrhs/vrp/)
• New Mexico Population Estimates: University of New Mexico, Geospatial and Population Studies (GPS) Program.
  (http://gps.unm.edu/)

How the Measure is Calculated

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

New Mexico and the United States have similar rates of COPD.

What Is Being Done?

Steps to be taken to reduce risk for COPD include: 1) If you are a smoker, STOP SMOKING. Quitting smoking is the single most important thing a smoker can do to live a longer and healthier life.The New Mexico Department of Health's Tobacco Use Prevention and Control (TUPAC) program and its partners use a comprehensive, evidence-based, approach to reducing tobacco use. The American Lung Association also has many programs to help you quit for good. 2) If you don't smoke, don't start. Smoking causes COPD, lung cancer, heart disease and other cancers. 3) Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke. Make your home smokefree. You'll not only protect yourself, but your family too. Learn about your rights to a smokefree environment at work and in public places. 4) Be aware of other dangers. Take care to protect yourself against chemicals, dust and fumes in your home and at work. 5) Help fight for clean air. Work with others in your community to help clean up the air you and your family breathe.

Other Objectives

CDC Environmental Public Health Tracking, Nationally Consistent Data and Measures (EPHT NCDM)