Did you know that numerous lung diseases are more common in women compared to men, especially in women of color or the LGBTQ community? Unfortunately, these groups have remarkably high rates of chronic lung disease, and medical professionals haven’t identified the reasons for these disparities yet.

What we do know is that various factors like air pollution, genetics, hormones, diet, stress, and access to health care, are connected to lung disease development. Furthermore, gender bias, lack of education, racism, and misinformation may also have an impact. Having said that, it’s clear that we all have the right information so let’s find out everything needed about women and COPD.

COPD Differences in Women and Men

One common lung disease that’s increasingly being diagnosed in women is a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Plus, the disease presents itself differently in women than in men. According to research, in the U.S., the number of women suffering from COPD is significantly higher than the number of men. What’s more, the death rate from the disease is decreasing in men, while increasing in women. And, the symptoms women experience are typically more severe with more frequent flare-ups than those of men.

Factors that Impact COPD in Women

Although several factors impact COPD development in women, tobacco is considered one of the biggest factors. Nowadays, the number of women and men who smoke is pretty much equal. Nevertheless, research shows that women diagnosed with COPD have generally smoked less than men with the disease. The reason for this is that women have a smaller pulmonary system, that is, smaller lungs and airways compared to men.

Ways COPD Affects Women’s Health and Life

Furthermore, there are also numerous ways COPD affects women and their health and life quality. Precisely speaking, COPD can lead to other medical conditions, limitations, or even some dangerous outcomes.

For instance, about 50% of people diagnosed with COPD also have a common bone disease called osteoporosis, characterized by weakened bone tissue, structure, and strength. What’s more, as you may guess, osteoporosis is more common in women with COPD than in men.

Next, research has shown that women with COPD are at greater risk to suffer from anxiety, depression, and stress, compared to both men with COPD and women without COPD. Reasons that may play a role in these statistics include more frequent shortness of breath, and unequal household and childcare responsibilities.

Finally, according to studies, women suffering from this lung disease have a significantly lower ability to exercise and worse quality of life in general than men with COPD. Women are also more likely to be hospitalized due to COPD with higher death rates, too.

COPD Treatment in Women

At last, if a woman is diagnosed with the condition, the first step is quitting smoking which applies to both men and women. Ditching tobacco can help in slowing down the progression of the condition. Studies show that women experience twice as much improvement as men do after quitting smoking after only a year.

Generally, smoking isn’t the only thing a COPD treatment has in common for both men and women. Generally, the treatment is the same and may include:

• Medications (corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, bronchodilators) to open airways and reduce inflammation
• Pulmonary rehabilitation to physically and mentally cope with COPD
• Oxygen therapy supplements the oxygen needed to ease everyday activities
• Annual flu and pneumonia vaccine to reduce breathing risks caused by suffering from them