Surreal image representing COPD in women, symbolizing interconnected lungs within a woman's silhouette.

COPD Trends: What Women Need to Know About Hospitalization Risks

Mira Elwood in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 3 min read.

"A deep dive into how COPD hospitalization and death rates are changing, and why women are disproportionately affected."

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) poses a significant public health challenge worldwide, particularly in the United States. Once considered primarily a man's disease, recent shifts reveal a growing prevalence among women. Understanding these trends is crucial for effective prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Recent research highlights critical gender-based differences in COPD. Women often face diagnosis at younger ages and are sometimes underdiagnosed due to less frequent evaluation using spirometry, a standard lung function test. These disparities necessitate a closer look at how COPD affects women differently.

This article explores the latest trends in COPD-related hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths, specifically focusing on gender differences. By examining data from 2005 to 2014, we aim to provide clarity on the changing landscape of COPD and its impact on women's health.

Understanding the Shifting Landscape of COPD Hospitalizations

Surreal image representing COPD in women, symbolizing interconnected lungs within a woman's silhouette.

A comprehensive study analyzing data from 2005 to 2014 revealed significant shifts in COPD hospitalization and mortality rates. The research, leveraging the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, provides a detailed picture of these trends.

The study identified over 8.5 million COPD-related hospitalizations. While the number of hospitalizations remained relatively stable, in-hospital deaths decreased dramatically by 62% over the decade. This decline may reflect improvements in patient care and changes in discharge practices, such as increased hospice referrals.

Overall Hospitalizations: Remained relatively stable, fluctuating around 800,000 per year.
In-Hospital Deaths: Decreased from 24,226 in 2005 to 9,090 in 2014, a significant reduction of 62%.
Gender Disparity: Women consistently accounted for a higher proportion of both hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths throughout the study period.

Interestingly, women hospitalized with COPD were, on average, slightly younger than their male counterparts. They also tended to exhibit less severe loss of function. Despite this, women consistently comprised a larger proportion of both COPD hospitalizations and deaths, signaling the need for targeted research and interventions.

Implications and Future Directions

The findings underscore the importance of understanding gender-specific risk factors and tailoring COPD management strategies accordingly. Further research is needed to explore the reasons behind the observed gender disparities and to develop targeted interventions that improve outcomes for women with COPD.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1513/annalsats.201807-488rl, Alternate LINK

Title: Trends In Copd Hospitalization And In-Hospital Deaths In The United States By Sex: 2005-2014

Subject: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Journal: Annals of the American Thoracic Society

Publisher: American Thoracic Society

Authors: Khushboo Goel, Morgan Bailey, Mark Borgstrom, Sairam Parthasarathy, Bhupinder Natt, Cristine Berry, Christian Bime

Published: 2018-11-05

Everything You Need To Know

What are the recent trends in COPD hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths in the United States?

Recent data indicates that while the overall number of COPD-related hospitalizations has remained relatively stable, in-hospital deaths have significantly decreased. A study analyzing data from 2005 to 2014 showed a 62% reduction in in-hospital deaths, potentially reflecting improvements in patient care and increased hospice referrals. This data was collected using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. However, women continue to account for a higher proportion of both hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths related to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. More research is needed to determine if discharge practices impact these results.

Why are women disproportionately affected by COPD, according to recent research?

Research shows that women are increasingly affected by COPD and often face diagnosis at younger ages. They may also be underdiagnosed due to less frequent evaluation using spirometry, which is a standard lung function test. Although women hospitalized with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease tend to be younger and exhibit less severe loss of function compared to men, they consistently comprise a larger proportion of both hospitalizations and deaths. Further investigation is needed to understand the specific gender-related risk factors contributing to these disparities. The reasons why spirometry is used less often requires further study.

What database was leveraged to obtain the statistics for COPD hospitalization trends?

The study that analyzed COPD hospitalization trends from 2005 to 2014 leveraged the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database. This database provided a comprehensive source of information on hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths related to COPD. The HCUP Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database enabled researchers to identify over 8.5 million COPD-related hospitalizations and track changes in hospitalization and mortality rates over the decade. This data set is critical for monitoring and understanding public health trends.

What actions can be taken based on the findings regarding gender disparities in COPD hospitalization and death rates?

Based on the findings highlighting gender disparities in COPD, it is important to understand gender-specific risk factors and tailor COPD management strategies accordingly. This may involve implementing more frequent spirometry screenings for women, developing targeted interventions to improve outcomes for women with COPD, and conducting further research to understand the reasons behind the observed gender disparities. Additionally, healthcare providers should be aware of the potential for underdiagnosis in women and ensure equitable access to care. Focus should be placed on patient care and changes in discharge practices, such as increased hospice referrals.

How did in-hospital death rates for COPD change between 2005 and 2014, and what might explain this change?

Between 2005 and 2014, in-hospital deaths related to COPD decreased dramatically by 62%, dropping from 24,226 in 2005 to 9,090 in 2014. This significant reduction may reflect improvements in patient care, such as advances in treatment and management of COPD exacerbations. Additionally, changes in discharge practices, like increased hospice referrals, could also contribute to the decline in in-hospital deaths as more patients receive end-of-life care outside of the hospital setting. However, it's important to note that despite this decrease, women consistently accounted for a higher proportion of in-hospital deaths throughout the study period.