One in five Americans lives in a rural area.
Rural Americans face greater health challenges than people living in cities and have difficulty obtaining health care because:
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Shortage of doctors
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Hospital closures
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Long distances to hospitals, specialists and pharmacies
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Lack of public transport
These factors make living with COPD difficult.
What is COPD?
COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, is a progressive lung disease that causes inflammation of the airways and makes breathing difficult.
COPD is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States
COPD in rural areas
1 in 12 people in rural areas have COPD, compared to 1 in 20 in urban areas.
Compared to people living in cities, people in rural areas are:
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2x more likely to develop COPD
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You are more likely to go to the hospital for COPD
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More likely to die from COPD
Why COPD is worse in rural areas
People in rural areas:
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More likely to smoke
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Do fewer smoking cessation programs
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They are more likely to work in industries where they are exposed to pollutants
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Live with more indoor air pollution from burning wood or coal for heating or cooking
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They have more medical problems that can make COPD worse
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They have less money to afford medications to treat COPD
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They are more likely to not have health insurance
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They have less access to healthcare, including specialists who treat COPD
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COPD may be more difficult to diagnose and treat
How to Treat COPD in Rural America
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Use telemedicine for:
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Remote monitoring to track symptoms, trends and triggers
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Digital pulmonary rehab to learn strategies
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Routine and time-sensitive care
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Stand up for yourself
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You may need to take a closer look at finding a lung specialist or take a longer trip.
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Most health insurance plans (including VA and Medicaid) must offer specialists within a certain travel time or distance. If this is not the case, you can get an exemption to visit someone outside the insurance network (but you must apply for it).
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Find free or reduced-cost care at rural and federally qualified health centers.
Remember: you are ALWAYS eligible for emergency care.
resources
American Lung Association – My COPD Action Plan
COPD Action Alliance – Veterans and COPD
COPD Foundation – My COPD Action Plan
This educational resource was created with support from Chiesi, Sanofi and Regeneron.
