据世界卫生组织(WHO)估计，慢性阻塞性肺病是目前世界上第四大致死性疾病（仅次于冠心病，脑血管疾病，急性呼吸系统感染，与艾滋病并列）。２０００年世界卫生组织（ＷＨＯ）估计全世界有２７４万人死于ＣＯＰＤ。
据世界银行、世界卫生组织估计，１９９０年ＣＯＰＤ在疾病造成的经济负担中位居第１２位，预计到２０２０年将上升至第五位。
世界卫生组织发现，被动吸烟是危险因素，尤其是对于儿童和长期被动吸烟者。WHO估计，被动吸烟与成人中10－43％的发病风险增加有关。
尽管吸烟是导致COPD的首要原因，但WHO估计，每年还有大约40万人是由于吸入生物燃料产生的烟雾而死亡。 在阿尔及利亚，1965年以来肺结核和急性呼吸感染的流行已经下降，但近十年来，慢性呼吸系统感染（哮喘和COPD）的发病呈上升趋势。
亚太呼吸系统疾病协会的调查显示：在11个亚洲国家COPD 的发病率为6.2％。尤其在农村，生物燃料的使用与COPD发病率的增高显著相关，提示我们，这些地区COPD的实际发病率较预计的高出很多。
在中国，慢性呼吸系统疾病占城市死亡原因第四位，农村死亡原因第一位。尽管大约有超过50％的男性吸烟，而女性吸烟比率较低（约6％），但COPD发病率在男女人群中基本相同，这表明，在中国妇女COPD发病原因中，除吸烟外的其他危险因素起着重要作用。
在马来群岛，呼吸系统疾病是门诊就诊和入院的首要原因，约50％男性吸烟，在农村较城市更多。
COPD是美国第四大致死性疾病（仅次于心脏病，肿瘤和中风）。2000年，据美国疾病控制中心统计，有11万9千人死于COPD，死于COPD的女性人数首次超过男性（女性59936 ，男性 59118）。
2000年在美国调查显示：有1千万成人被诊断为COPD。然而，来自国家健康与营养检测中心的资料显示：大约2千4百万成人肺功能显著下降。表明COPD实际诊出率严重偏低。
一项由日本实施的研究也表明COPD诊断率过低。采用GOLD对COPD最新的定义和诊断标准后，科学家发现在日本COPD发病率升至9.1％，而之前日本健康与福利部预测其发病率仅为0.2％。
2000年在美国，共有8000名万门诊COPD病人及72万6000名住院治疗COPD病人，2002年医疗费用总计达321亿。
1998年在美国，28％男性和23％女性吸烟，吸烟比率在黑人男性（33％）中较白人男性（27％）高，而在黑人女性和白人女性中则近似（分别为21％和23％）。
FACTS ABOUT CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that COPD is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide (after coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and acute respiratory infection, and sharing fourth place with HIV/AIDS). The WHO estimates that in 2000, 2.74 million people died of COPD worldwide.
In 1990, a World Bank/WHO study of the worldwide burden caused by various diseases ranked COPD 12th; by 2020, it is estimated that COPD will rank 5th.
According to the World Health Organization, passive smoking carries serious risks, especially for children and those chronically exposed. The WHO estimates that passive smoking is associated with a 10 - 43% increase in the risk of COPD in adults.
Although cigarette smoking is the primary cause of COPD, the WHO estimates that there are 400,000 deaths per year from exposure to biomass fuels.
In Algeria, the prevalence of tuberculosis and acute respiratory infection has decreased since 1965, but an increase in chronic respiratory diseases (asthma and COPD) has been observed in the last decade.
The prevalence of COPD is estimated to be 6.2% in the 11 Asian countries surveyed by the Asian Pacific Society of Respiratory Diseases. The use of biomass fuels, especially in rural areas, contributes to a greater prevalence of COPD in some of these countries and suggests that the prevalence of COPD may be significantly greater in this region of the world than previously estimated.
In China, chronic respiratory diseases are the fourth leading cause of death in large urban areas, and the leading cause of death in rural areas. It is estimated that over 50% of Chinese men smoke, although smoking rates among women remain low (estimated at 6%). The prevalence of COPD in men and women in China is about the same, which points to the importance of risk factors other than smoking in causing COPD in Chinese women.
In Malaysia, respiratory illness is the primary cause of visits to health clinics and outpatient hospital clinics It is estimated that 50% of the male population smokes, with higher rates in rural than in urban areas.
COPD is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States (behind heart disease, cancer, and stroke). In 2000, according to US Centers for Disease Control statistics, over 119,000 people died from COPD, and for the first time the number of women who died from COPD surpassed the number of men (59,936 versus 59,118).
In 2000, there were an estimated 10 million adults in the U.S. who had been diagnosed with COPD by a physician. However, data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) suggest that approximately 24 million US adults have evidence of impaired lung function, indicating that COPD is greatly under diagnosed.
A study conducted in Japan also provides evidence of under diagnosis of COPD. Using the GOLD definition of COPD and criteria for classifying disease severity, scientists found a COPD prevalence rate (adjusted) of 9.1% for the country. By contrast, Japan's Ministry of Health and Welfare had previously estimated COPD prevalence at 0.2%.
In 2000, COPD was responsible for 8 million physician office and hospital outpatient visits, and 726,000 hospitalizations in the United States. Medical expenditures in 2002 amounted to $32.1 billion.
In the United States in 1998, 28% of men and 23% of women smoked. The rates of cigarette smoking were higher among black (33%) than white men (27%) but similar in black and white women (21% and 23% respectively).
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