Neighborhood Poverty, Uninsured Status Linked to COPD Hospitalizations

Neighborhood factors may lead to increased COPD-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations

Certain neighborhood characteristics, including higher poverty, more uninsured residents, and lower educational attainment, may lead to an increase in COPD-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations, according to a new study in the January 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation. COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, affects more than 30 million Americans and is the four…

Neighborhood poverty, uninsured status linked to COPD hospitalizations

Certain neighborhood characteristics, including higher poverty, more uninsured residents, and lower educational attainment, may lead to an increase in COPD-related emergency department visits and hospitalizations, according to a new study in the January 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open access journal.

Neighborhood Factors Linked to Higher Rates of COPD-Related Emergency

Miami, February 19, 2026—Recent research published in the January 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation presents compelling evidence that neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors significantly influence the incidence of emergency department visits and hospitalizations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. The study reveals that residents living in neighborhoods marked by hi…