Worldwide... approximately 65 million people are affected
Nationally... the Center for Disease Control estimates 15 million US adults are suffering.
In Minnesota....
it’s our fifth leading cause of death.
What is it?
COPD or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
a group of lung diseases that make it difficult to breathe.
Millions suffer from COPD.
Millions more remain undiagnosed.
Who is affected by COPD?
Are COPD trends going up or down?
Where do we need to do more to prevent and treat COPD?
Questions such as these are being asked by Minnesota communities, health professionals
and others.
To answer these questions, COPD data is needed.
That data that is now available through the Minnesota Department of Health program....
Minnesota Tracking.
Minnesota Tracking Responding to the need for more information...
published data on COPD prevalence, hospitalizations, and deaths.
This data, that includes charts and maps, is accessible online through the Minnesota
Public Health Data Access portal.
So now, with information in hand, health professionals and others
can make informed decisions to prevent and treat COPD.
And, over time, the data can be used
to measure progress on COPD health initiatives.
And now, with this data, communities can identify ways
to provide support for people living with COPD.
Publishing the MN Tracking data on COPD, highlighted some key facts...
facts such as COPD affects 230,000 people in Minnesota --
that’s over 4 percent of our state’s population.
And, hospitalizations for COPD are higher in some areas
of Minnesota.
Also, COPD death rates among American Indians are strikingly high when
compared to other racial or ethnic groups.
Using Minnesota Tracking’s online data and maps, vulnerable populations and opportunities
for outreach can now be identified.
Minnesota Tracking also works with partners to bring public health data into action
further impacting the lives of Minnesotan’s with COPD.
Partners that include the American Lung Association in Minnesota and the Minnesota COPD Coalition
both of whom worked with MN Tracking on a joint report entitled
The Scope of COPD in Minnesota.
This report highlights data that addresses Minnesota’s key COPD health concerns...
including disparities for American Indians.
Another partner, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency,
is working with MN Tracking to evaluate the impact of air pollution on
health, and to inform people with COPD about air pollution
health alerts.
Building on these partnerships, Minnesota Tracking data is also being used
by local and state programs to prevent and reduce exposure to tobacco smoke, the leading
cause of COPD.
Communities, health professionals and everyone- from citizen to scientist
can access and use Minnesota Tracking’s data
on COPD, as well as other health and environment topics
Commenting on the contribution Minnesota Tracking’s data program has made
is Jill Heins, Director of Respiratory Health with the American Lung Association
of the Upper Midwest...
As Ms. Heins states...
Minnesota Tracking allows us to monitor the rates of COPD in Minnesota and react accordingly.
Specific data enhances targeted efforts to improve lung health
in our communities.
Minnesota Tracking...
Data on Environment, Exposure & Health
To view data on COPD and other topics,
or to learn more about the Minnesota Tracking Program,
visit health.state.mn.us/tracking
Minnesota Tracking a program of the Minnesota Department of Health
and a member of the CDC National Tracking Network
since 2009 Minnesota Tracking is also the Recipient of
the 2013 Minnesota Governor’s Award for Continuous Improvement.
To learn more visit the Minnesota Tracking website.