Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among women in India often goes unnoticed. Most medical attention focuses on men, leaving many women undiagnosed and untreated.
Experts from pulmonary and community medicine departments reviewed several studies to understand how COPD affects women aged 40 and above.
The review included research from Mysuru district (2006–2010), Odisha (2013–14), and Thiruvallur district in Tamil Nadu (2007). The findings show that about 16.3% of women suffer from COPD. The disease is more common in rural areas than in cities.
The studies reveal that older women living in rural regions are at higher risk. One major cause is cooking with biomass fuels like wood and cow dung, which exposes women to harmful smoke.
Even women who do not smoke but are exposed to this smoke often develop chronic bronchitis and breathing problems. Other risk factors include secondhand smoke, tobacco use, low body mass index (BMI), and lack of education about the disease.
A lead researcher explained that COPD in women is often mistaken for a simple cough. Many women only seek medical help when their breathing problems become severe or when they face respiratory failure. To better understand these risks, a detailed study is underway in the Kateel area of Dakshina Kannada.
India’s response to COPD is slow and reactive, leading to late diagnoses. The review also found that women with COPD tend to have higher death rates and more severe symptoms than men, even though they smoke less. Research suggests that women experience COPD differently due to hormonal and airway differences compared to men.
This study highlights the urgent need for better awareness, early diagnosis, and treatment of COPD in women, especially in rural India.
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