Press Releases

A recent survey of 2,153 U.S. adults,¹ was conducted to find out how much the general public knows about COPD—Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. COPD is a condition that includes chronic bronchitis, emphysema or both. How much do YOU know?

Key survey findings:

• Some know it affects smokers: About 60 out of 100 people surveyed thought of "smokers" when they heard COPD (63%)^1a
• Fewer know it also affects smokers who have quit: Only 30 out of 100 said COPD was caused by a past history of smoking, regardless of having quit (29%)^1b
• Only half know it's treatable: And less than 50 out of 100 of those surveyed were aware that COPD is treatable (50%)^1c

What's In a Name? Survey Reveals Most U.S. Adults are in the Dark About the Nation's Leading Cause of Disability and Death

Do many people know what COPD is? Not really.

• More than 80 out of 100 people knew what chronic bronchitis and emphysema were. (80%)^1d
• But only about 60 out of 100 people were familiar with the term COPD. (61%)^1e
• About 45 out of 100 people were unclear about the definition of COPD. (46%)^1f
• And only about 30 in 100 were able to correctly define the disease. (28%)^1g

Do many people know what the different symptoms of COPD are? Not really.

• About 50 out of 100 people identified one symptom of COPD. That was shortness of breath.^1h
• But, only about 20 out of 100 were able to correctly identify all five COPD symptoms. (20%)¹ⁱ
  Symptoms include:
  • Shortness of breath²
  • Regular cough²
  • Increased mucus²
  • Wheezing³
  • No energy for exercise or exhausting activity, such as climbing stairs⁴

Old, Disabled and Male? Survey Findings Show U.S. Adults Have Negative, Inaccurate Images of People with COPD

• About 70 out of 100 people surveyed had an inaccurate view of people with COPD^1j
• Almost 30 out of 100 people surveyed pictured an old or disabled person when they heard COPD^1k
• About 10 out of 100 of people thought the disease affected older people.^1L
• And only about 10 out of 100 people thought of women when they thought of COPD.^1m
  Yet, in reality, COPD is more common in women than men.⁵

Find out if you're at risk. Go to the website www.copdscreener1.com to get a free questionnaire that you can share with your doctor.

About the Survey
This COPD IQ survey was fielded by Harris Interactive and sponsored by the National Women's Health Resource Center in partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Pfizer Inc.

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¹ COPD IQ Survey. Online survey fielded November 12-November 14, 2007 from a national sample of 2,153 US adults age 18 and older. Survey participants were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys.
² National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Data Fact Sheet: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/other/copd_fact.pdf.
³ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease. What is COPD? Seven Steps to Manage Emphysema, Chronic Bronchitis and other Chronic Pulmonary Disease. 2003.
⁴ National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Learn More Breathe Better: What is COPD? Available at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/lung/copd/what-is-copd/. Accessed July 2007.
⁵ National Center for Health Statistics. National Health Interview Survey, 1982-1996, 1997-2002. From American Lung Association. Trends in Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema: Morbidity and Mortality. July 2006.