A recent study published in the January 2026 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation has found that certain neighborhood characteristics, such as higher poverty rates, a greater proportion of uninsured residents, and lower levels of educational attainment, are associated with increased emergency department visits and hospitalizations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD is a group of lung conditions that includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis. It affects over 30 million people in the United States and is currently the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. The disease can be caused by genetic factors as well as exposure to irritants like smoke or pollution.
The study examined nearly 10,000 cases involving COPD-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and 30-day readmissions across census tracts in Travis County, Texas between 2016 and 2020. Census tracts are small geographic areas within counties that typically have about 4,000 residents with similar population characteristics and living conditions.
Researchers observed distinct geographic patterns in neighborhoods where higher rates of poverty, lack of insurance coverage, and lower educational attainment were present. These patterns corresponded to increased emergency visits and hospitalizations due to acute exacerbations—sudden worsening of symptoms—in people with COPD. However, the data did not show similar geographic trends for hospital readmission rates.
"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 the study authors.
