Population health problems pertain to health issues identified within a specific group of people. Various data sources can provide insights into population health issues. The data enables informed decisions, including interventions to address the population health issue (Boers et al., 2023). This assignment will concentrate on chronic lung disease as the chosen population health issue to determine relevant data sets and variables that can help assess the extent of chronic lung disease. The assignment evaluates the accuracy of the chosen data sets and the difficulties encountered in selecting an appropriate data set.
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are substantial public health concerns that make substantial contributions to worldwide morbidity and mortality. Globally prevalent chronic respiratory conditions like asthma and COPD are distinguished by their unique physiological mechanisms and natural progressions. Chronic airway inflammation and persistent respiratory difficulties are hallmarks of COPD, whereas chronic airway inflammation is generally considered a defining feature of asthma. According to a study by Safiri et al. (2022), global age-standardized mortality rate data indicates that COPD was the second most prevalent cause of death in 1990. As of 2019, this rank had declined to the third most common cause. From 2007 to 2017, the prevalence of COPD increased by 15.6%, while the age-standardized prevalence among men decreased by 10.1%. COPD is acknowledged as a systemic disorder that is more commonly observed in individuals with a history of smoking. A multitude of comorbidities and risk factors necessitate immediate attention to tackle these health issues: genetics, smoking, infections, nutritional deficiency, aging, occupational exposures, indoor and ambient pollutants, asthma, and low-income levels.
The first data set that may be used to define the population and scale of chronic lung illness as the chosen population issue is the data set that is provided by government agencies, such as the Centers for Illness Control and Prevention (CDC). The World Health Organization (WHO) is the source of the second collected data collection, which includes global and international information. The American Lung Association contributes the third data collection, which comes from a private source.
The initial data set was acquired from the CDC in 2023. Four main factors are associated with chronic pulmonary disease, according to the CDC. Morbidity, mortality, visits to medical offices, and visits to emergency rooms are examples of these factors. Since 2021, chronic pulmonary disease, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis have been identified in 4.6% of the global population, as measured by morbidity. COPD patients constitute an estimated 4.2% of the total number of visits to office-based physicians. 1.2 million visits to emergency departments are attributed to COPD as the primary diagnosis. The COPD-related mortality rate is 42.9 per 100,000 individuals. The CDC classifies COPD as the sixth most significant cause of death in 2023.
The World Health Organization provides statistics on both global and international levels. The primary variables that are displayed are the proportion of deaths, age at death, symptoms, and factors contributing to COPD (World Health Organization, 2023). As per the World Health Organization (2023), 3.23 million deaths in 2019 were attributed to COPD. Globally, COPD is the third-most common cause of mortality. The World Health Organization (2023) reports that 90% of COPD-related deaths in those under 70 occur in low- and middle-income countries. Approximately 70% of COPD cases in high-income nations are caused by smoking.
The American Lung Association finances lung disease research, empowers talented scientists, and expands industrial cooperation to accelerate discovery and innovation. The primary variables outlined by the American Lung Association (n.d.) include the incidence of COPD, the prevalence of long-term bronchitis and emphysema in 2018, and the demographic groups most impacted. In 2020, approximately 12.5 million individuals were reported to have been diagnosed with COPD, as stated by the American Lung Association. COPD is more common in non-Hispanic white persons than in other ethnic groups. Another aspect to take into account is the age bracket. The most affected age group comprises persons aged 65 and older.
The data from the CDC (2023) is valid, consistent, and comprehensive in terms of validity. Previous research and publications, including the National Health Interview Survey, 2019–2021, and the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey 2019,