Journal Article

Assessing Self-Reported Physical Activity Levels in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Patients: A Comprehensive Analysis Using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System-Web Enabled Analysis Tool (BRFSS-WEAT) Data

Nair, Shruti, Kaka, Manaswini Chowdary, De Vos, Jacques, Mathew, Tim, Patel, Mehulkumar M

2025

Overview

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema and is characterized by persistent airflow limitation. It is caused by long-term exposure to harmful particles or gases, leading to significant breathing difficulties and substantially impacting quality of life. Understanding the complexity and socioeconomic burden of COPD is vital for improving patient outcomes and addressing broader implications. This study assesses the self-reported physical activity levels of COPD patients in the United States using the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, exploring the impact of demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare access variables. Methodology The 2021 BRFSS data were analysed, focusing on 34,061 individuals diagnosed with COPD, emphysema, or chronic bronchitis. Fisher's exact test and the chi-square test were used to examine associations between self-reported physical activity levels and demographic (age, gender, race), socioeconomic (education, employment, income), and healthcare access (last routine check-up) variables, with 95% confidence intervals. Results Of the 435,780 BRFSS participants, 7.8% reported having COPD. Among these, 55% engaged in physical activity compared to 77.4% of non-COPD individuals. Physical activity levels were significantly lower among COPD patients (p < 0.001), with notable variations across age groups, genders, races, education levels, employment statuses, income categories, and time since the last routine check-up. Conclusions The findings reveal a significant disparity in physical activity between COPD patients and non-COPD individuals. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions to improve physical activity among COPD patients to enhance their health outcomes and quality of life.

• Publisher: Springer Nature B.V,Cureus
• Subject: Age / Allergy/Immunology / Bronchitis / Chi-square test / Chronic illnesses / Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Emphysema / Environmental Health / Exercise / Gender / Health care access / Internal Medicine / Low income groups / Physical fitness / Self report / Surveillance / Variables