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News
Good news on asthma, not-so-good news on COPD. A new Lancet Respiratory Medicine study found that asthma mortality in the U.S. dropped by nearly 51% between 1990 and 2023, while COPD mortality rose by 8.9% and ILD/pulmonary sarcoidosis mortality surged by 87%. The total number of Americans living with chronic respiratory disease jumped from 33 million to 54.5 million over the same period.
A sweeping new analysis published in The Lancet Respiratory Medicine paints a mixed picture of chronic respiratory disease in the U.S. from 1990 to 2023. While asthma mortality fell dramatically — down nearly 51% — deaths from COPD climbed 8.9% and ILD/pulmonary sarcoidosis mortality skyrocketed by 87%. Meanwhile, the total number of Americans living with chronic respiratory disease ballooned from 33.3 million to 54.5 million.
Geographic disparities were stark. Kentucky, West Virginia, and Mississippi bore the heaviest COPD mortality burden, while Appalachian and southern states consistently showed the worst outcomes — tied to weaker healthcare infrastructure and socioeconomic disadvantages. Smoking, high BMI, and secondhand smoke were the top drivers of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) across diseases.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Despite progress on asthma, rising COPD and ILD deaths signal persistent gaps in disease control — especially in underserved regions. Researchers say tobacco control, equitable vaccination programs, and targeted health-system investments could help close the gap.
