Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysis

Abstract Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) remains a significant global public health challenge, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aims to analyze global trends in COPD from 1990 to 2021, with a focus on age, sex, and regional variations....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Shafaq Naeem, Fang Wang, Rabia Mubarak, Hui Shen, Xuechun Li, Irene Mommers, Syeda Rija Hussain, Saima Shakil Malik, Chuanhua Yu, Eelko Hak, Xiaolin Xu, Muhammad Fawad, Sumaira Mubarik
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:BMC Medicine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04014-0
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850145595174420480
author Shafaq Naeem
Fang Wang
Rabia Mubarak
Hui Shen
Xuechun Li
Irene Mommers
Syeda Rija Hussain
Saima Shakil Malik
Chuanhua Yu
Eelko Hak
Xiaolin Xu
Muhammad Fawad
Sumaira Mubarik
author_facet Shafaq Naeem
Fang Wang
Rabia Mubarak
Hui Shen
Xuechun Li
Irene Mommers
Syeda Rija Hussain
Saima Shakil Malik
Chuanhua Yu
Eelko Hak
Xiaolin Xu
Muhammad Fawad
Sumaira Mubarik
author_sort Shafaq Naeem
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) remains a significant global public health challenge, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aims to analyze global trends in COPD from 1990 to 2021, with a focus on age, sex, and regional variations. By assessing the global burden of COPD and its association with key risk factors, this research provides critical insights into progress toward health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and underscores the urgent need to prioritize COPD in public health agendas. Methods Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, this research conducted a comprehensive ecological analysis of COPD epidemiology from 1990 to 2021. Key measures included incidence, mortality, and age-standardized rates, alongside an examination of risk factors such as smoking and ambient particulate matter pollution, quantified using country-level summary exposure values (SEV). Statistical analyses, including descriptive analysis, annual rate of change (ARC), and correlation analysis, were applied to assess the burden of COPD and investigate its ecological associations with major risk factors. Results In 2021, COPD accounted for 16.90 million new cases and 3.70 million deaths globally. The age-standardized incidence rate was 197.37 (95% UI: 181.6–213.42) per 100,000 person-years, while the age-standardized mortality rate was 45.22 (95% UI: 40.61–49.70) per 100,000 person-years. Although global COPD incidence rates declined by 2% from 1990 to 2021, the pace and extent of this decline varied, with some age groups, sexes, and regions experiencing slower reductions or even increases. Higher COPD burden was observed in areas with elevated smoking prevalence, air pollution and greater socioeconomic development. Conclusions This study highlights the ongoing global burden of COPD and its varying trends from 1990 to 2021 across age groups, sexes, and regions. While incidence and mortality rates have slightly declined, disparities persist, particularly among older adults, men, and regions with higher smoking prevalence and air pollution. These findings emphasize the urgent need to integrate COPD into public health priorities, focusing on targeted interventions to reduce key risk factors. Sustained efforts are essential to achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improving global COPD outcomes.
format Article
id doaj-art-7b70b821d9834dff9f84b50cb149e0cc
institution OA Journals
issn 1741-7015
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher BMC
record_format Article
series BMC Medicine
spelling doaj-art-7b70b821d9834dff9f84b50cb149e0cc2025-08-20T02:28:04ZengBMCBMC Medicine1741-70152025-04-0123111410.1186/s12916-025-04014-0Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysisShafaq Naeem0Fang Wang1Rabia Mubarak2Hui Shen3Xuechun Li4Irene Mommers5Syeda Rija Hussain6Saima Shakil Malik7Chuanhua Yu8Eelko Hak9Xiaolin Xu10Muhammad Fawad11Sumaira Mubarik12Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Public Health, Wuhan UniversityDepartment of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Xuzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Economics, PMAS, Arid Agriculture UniversityWuhan Center for Disease Control and PreventionUnit Pharmacotherapy, -Epidemiology and -Economics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of GroningenUnit Pharmacotherapy, -Epidemiology and -Economics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of GroningenRawalpindi Medical UniversityCardiovascular Research Institute, Baylor College of MedicineDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Wuhan UniversityUnit Pharmacotherapy, -Epidemiology and -Economics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of GroningenSchool of Public Health, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, HangzhouSchool of Public Health, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, HangzhouUnit Pharmacotherapy, -Epidemiology and -Economics, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of GroningenAbstract Background Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) remains a significant global public health challenge, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aims to analyze global trends in COPD from 1990 to 2021, with a focus on age, sex, and regional variations. By assessing the global burden of COPD and its association with key risk factors, this research provides critical insights into progress toward health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and underscores the urgent need to prioritize COPD in public health agendas. Methods Utilizing data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, this research conducted a comprehensive ecological analysis of COPD epidemiology from 1990 to 2021. Key measures included incidence, mortality, and age-standardized rates, alongside an examination of risk factors such as smoking and ambient particulate matter pollution, quantified using country-level summary exposure values (SEV). Statistical analyses, including descriptive analysis, annual rate of change (ARC), and correlation analysis, were applied to assess the burden of COPD and investigate its ecological associations with major risk factors. Results In 2021, COPD accounted for 16.90 million new cases and 3.70 million deaths globally. The age-standardized incidence rate was 197.37 (95% UI: 181.6–213.42) per 100,000 person-years, while the age-standardized mortality rate was 45.22 (95% UI: 40.61–49.70) per 100,000 person-years. Although global COPD incidence rates declined by 2% from 1990 to 2021, the pace and extent of this decline varied, with some age groups, sexes, and regions experiencing slower reductions or even increases. Higher COPD burden was observed in areas with elevated smoking prevalence, air pollution and greater socioeconomic development. Conclusions This study highlights the ongoing global burden of COPD and its varying trends from 1990 to 2021 across age groups, sexes, and regions. While incidence and mortality rates have slightly declined, disparities persist, particularly among older adults, men, and regions with higher smoking prevalence and air pollution. These findings emphasize the urgent need to integrate COPD into public health priorities, focusing on targeted interventions to reduce key risk factors. Sustained efforts are essential to achieving health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improving global COPD outcomes.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04014-0Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseIncidence rateMortality rateSmokingAir pollutionSustainable development goals
spellingShingle Shafaq Naeem
Fang Wang
Rabia Mubarak
Hui Shen
Xuechun Li
Irene Mommers
Syeda Rija Hussain
Saima Shakil Malik
Chuanhua Yu
Eelko Hak
Xiaolin Xu
Muhammad Fawad
Sumaira Mubarik
Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysis
BMC Medicine
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Incidence rate
Mortality rate
Smoking
Air pollution
Sustainable development goals
title Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysis
title_full Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysis
title_fullStr Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysis
title_full_unstemmed Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysis
title_short Mapping the Global distribution, risk factors, and temporal trends of COPD incidence and mortality (1990–2021): ecological analysis
title_sort mapping the global distribution risk factors and temporal trends of copd incidence and mortality 1990 2021 ecological analysis
topic Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Incidence rate
Mortality rate
Smoking
Air pollution
Sustainable development goals
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-025-04014-0
work_keys_str_mv AT shafaqnaeem mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT fangwang mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT rabiamubarak mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT huishen mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT xuechunli mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT irenemommers mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT syedarijahussain mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT saimashakilmalik mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT chuanhuayu mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT eelkohak mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT xiaolinxu mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT muhammadfawad mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis
AT sumairamubarik mappingtheglobaldistributionriskfactorsandtemporaltrendsofcopdincidenceandmortality19902021ecologicalanalysis