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Abstract
COPD is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide and imparts
a substantial economic burden on individuals and society. Despite the intense interest
in COPD among clinicians and researchers, there is a paucity of data on health-care
utilization, costs, and social burden in this population. The total economic costs
of COPD morbidity and mortality in the United States were estimated at $23.9 billion
in 1993. Direct treatments for COPD-related illness accounted for $14.7 billion, and
the remaining $9.2 billion were indirect morbidity and premature mortality estimated
as lost future earnings. Similar data from another US study suggest that 10% of persons
with COPD account for > 70% of all medical care costs. International studies of trends
in COPD-related hospitalization indicate that although the average length of stay
has decreased since 1972, admissions per 1,000 persons per year for COPD have increased
in all age groups > 45 years of age. These trends reflect population aging, smoking
patterns, institutional factors, and treatment practices.