Introduction: We investigated the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in various population subgroups in South Carolina and examined associations between COPD and 4 core measures of health-related quality of life (HRQOL).
Methods: Data from 12,851 participants of the 2011 South Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed. COPD prevalence rates were age-adjusted to the 2000 standard US population. Logistic regression models were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AOR's) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results: The overall age-adjusted prevalence of self-reported diagnosis of COPD among community-dwelling adults in South Carolina in 2011 was 7.1% (standard error [SE] ±0.3). Prevalence of self-reported diagnosis of COPD was highest among women (8.9%; SE, ±0.5), those aged 65 years or older (12.9%; SE, ±0.5), current smokers (15.9%; SE, ±0.7), and those with low levels of education and income. Compared with community-dwelling adults without COPD, those with COPD were more likely to report fair or poor general health status (AOR, 3.97; 95% CI, 3.13-5.03), 14 or more physically unhealthy days (AOR, 2.10, 95% CI, 1.57-2.81), 14 or more mentally unhealthy days (AOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.21-2.43), and 14 or more days of activity limitation (AOR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.53-3.22) within the previous 30 days.
Conclusion: COPD is a highly prevalent disease in South Carolina, especially among older people and smokers, and it is associated with poor HRQOL. Future work aimed at reducing risk factors may decrease the disease prevalence, and increasing early detection and improving access to appropriate medical treatments can improve HRQOL for those living with COPD.