Prevalence of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Risk Factors in São Paulo, Brazil, 2008-2009

Objective: To assess the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related risk factors.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study with 1,441 individuals of both sexes aged 40 years or more was conducted in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, between 2008 and 2009. A two-stage (census tract, household) cluster random sampling stratified by sex and age was used and data was collected through home interviews. Multiple Poisson regression was used in the adjusted analysis.

Results: Of all respondents, 4.2% (95%CI: 3.1;5.4) reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. After adjustment the following factors were found independently associated with self-reported chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: number of cigarettes smoked in their lifetime (>1,500 vs. none) (PR=3.85; 95%CI: 1.87;7.94); easily fatigued (yes vs. no) (PR=2.61; 95%CI: 1.39;4.90); age (60;69 vs. 50;59) (PR 3.27; 95%CI: 1.01;11.24); age (70 and over vs. 50;59) (PR 4.29; 95%CI: 1.30;11.29); health conditions in the last 15 days (yes vs. no) (PR=1.31; 95%CI: 1.02;1.77); leisure-time physical activity (yes vs. no) (PR=0.57; 95%CI: 0.26;0.97).

Conclusions: The prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is high in the population studied and is associated with smoking and age over 60. Frequent health conditions and low leisure-time physical activity are a consequence of the disease.