Every year, more than 400,000 Americans die of lung disease. Lung disease is America's number three killer, responsible for one in six deaths. The American Lung Association has selected a variety of tables, graphs and figures to illustrate these facts.

Lung disease is not only a killer, most lung disease is chronic. More than 35 million Americans are now living with chronic lung disease.

The following are reports depicting available prevalence, incidence, hospitalization and mortality data for lung disease and cigarette smoking. Data are gathered from national surveys, databases and reports and are examined by age, gender, race/ethnicity, and, in some cases, educational attainment and economic impact.

Additional data on lung disease topics can be found at our Diseases A to Z section.

TREND REPORTS:

Air Quality

• Trends in Air Quality 2002 (Text & Tables; July 2002) 
• Trends in Air Quality 2002 (Graphs; July 2002) 

Asthma

• Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality 2009 (January 2009) 

COPD

• Trends in COPD (Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema) Morbidity and Mortality 2008 (April 2009) 

Lung Cancer

• Trends in Lung Cancer Morbidity and Mortality 2008 (September 2008) 

Acute Lung Disease

• Trends in Pneumonia and Influenza Morbidity and Mortality (September 2008) 

Smoking

• Trends in Tobacco Use 2008 (July 2008) 

Tuberculosis

• Trends in Tuberculosis Morbidity and Mortality 2008 (August 2008)  

Lung Disease Publications

• Estimated Prevalence and Incidence of Lung Disease by Lung Association Territory (July 2009) 

**DISCLAIMER:
The numbers in this document reflect the estimated prevalence and incidence of lung disease within each Lung Association area, and not the actual number. These estimates are based on the national incidence and prevalence estimates applied to the age-specific population of each area; no adjustments are made for any other factors that may affect the actual local prevalence. When releasing this information to the public or press, please be careful to ensure that the nature and derivation of these estimates are understood.