For Veterans Living with COPD, Awareness Must Lead to Action


By: James Teague, Vice President, US Respiratory & Immunology, AstraZeneca

 

Every November, Veterans Day offers an opportunity to recognize the millions of Americans who have served our country. It also prompts us to consider how we can better serve this community when they return home.

For many US veterans, the effects of service can extend well beyond their time in uniform, including impacts on lung health.

"Veterans Day helps us honor all those who have served in the US Armed Services. AstraZeneca recognizes that their health needs continue after their service to the country ends. Focus to bring greater attention to lung health is one meaningful way to carry that recognition forward." - Chris Freeman, Director, Federal Accounts, AstraZeneca

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a serious, progressive lung disease that affects millions of Americans. 

An estimated 16-26 million people in the US are affected by COPD, including those who are diagnosed and undiagnosed. The disease is more prevalent among women and is now the fifth-leading cause of death in the US. Yet behind those numbers are people whose daily lives can be profoundly affected by the disease.1-2

For our nation’s veterans, that burden is particularly important to recognize.

A disproportionate burden among those who served

According to the COPD Action Alliance, more than one million US veterans live with COPD, representing about a quarter of the veteran population. Veterans are more likely to be diagnosed with COPD than civilians, with rising rates particularly among those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. In fact, more veterans have passed away from COPD than every US wars combined since 1950.3-9

Military service can bring respiratory risks that many civilians never encounter. Burn pits, diesel exhaust, dust storms and other toxic exposures can all affect lung health. That makes recognizing the signs and risks of COPD and connecting people to appropriate care critically important.4

Therefore, we are committed to exposing the risk, elevating the experiences of people living with COPD and helping translate greater awareness into meaningful action.

"When I was deployed to Iraq from 2005 to 2006, I was exposed to different elements in the air, burning debris and nonstop sandstorms. Now when I walk, I get winded. If I go up a hill, I get winded. I used to run. I miss that, being outside." - Greg, US veteran living with COPD

"When it's humid, I have a hard time breathing. I have a hard time anyway, just walking from the living room to the kitchen. I get out of breath easily...I just have to take it as I go." - David, US veteran living with COPD

We can change the trajectory of lung health

At AstraZeneca, we believe there is an opportunity to fundamentally change how we approach lung health.

Too often, diseases such as COPD and lung cancer are addressed separately, even though they can share risks and challenges across the patient journey. Our LungHealth, Unified approach recognizes these connections and focuses on shared risks, pathways and solutions across COPD and lung cancer to help advance earlier detection, guideline-directed care and equitable access throughout the lung-health journey.

This ambition requires us to support health systems in connecting lung cancer screening workflows with COPD risk identification, referral and follow-up. It means supporting community-based approaches that improve screening, navigation and care coordination in rural and underserved communities. And it means working alongside patient organizations, healthcare professionals and policymakers to address administrative and affordability barriers to lung care.  

That commitment is also reflected in AstraZeneca’s work and support across multiple platforms and programs, including Speak Up for COPD, a global coalition working to elevate COPD as a health-policy and health-system priority by amplifying patient voices, building awareness and advancing action on diagnosis, treatment, integrated disease management and prevention.

Additionally, AstraZeneca has committed nationwide resources specifically to ensure veterans have access to our medicines in areas of highest need, especially those living with COPD.

Across COPD, our ambition is clear: to help transform care and eliminate COPD as a leading cause of death. 

Awareness alone isn't enough 

COPD Awareness Month gives us an important platform to educate. But education must be accompanied by action.

For veterans who encounter long travel distances, extended wait times or a lack of needed specialists at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, the VA Community Care Program can provide eligible veterans with access to non-VA providers. Covered care may include diagnostic testing, respiratory therapy and COPD treatment when those services are not available through the VA, subject to program requirements.

We also need to look beyond any single pathway to care. 
 
Putting the LungHealth Unified framework into practice requires action on two fronts:

  • Policymakers addressing affordability barriers and investing in rural lung-health infrastructure and navigation to improve access to healthcare and treatment.

  • Healthcare professionals and health systems advancing appropriate COPD testing, greater use of guideline-directed treatment and better integration of lung-care pathways.

That kind of cooperation matters because improving lung health isn't the responsibility of one organization or one sector. It requires healthcare professionals, policymakers, advocates, health systems, communities and industry working together. 

"The right treatment [and] the right people working for you, I think that's a no-brainer. It gives you hope. It gives you a clear pathway of knowing that you're in good hands and that something is actually working and helping you." - Greg, US veteran living with COPD

Turning recognition into action

This Veterans Day and throughout COPD Awareness Month, we have an opportunity to do more than raise awareness.

We can make lung health a greater public health priority. We can help people recognize COPD risk sooner. We can advocate for policies that remove barriers standing between patients and appropriate care. And we can continue working toward a future where someone lives, what they can afford or where they receive care does not unnecessarily limit their ability to protect their lung health.

For Veterans in particular, this commitment carries special meaning. They answered the call to serve us. Now we should answer the call to help protect their health.

References

  1. Mamary AJ, Stewart JI, Kinney GL, et al. Race and Gender Disparities are Evident in COPD Underdiagnoses Across all Severities of Measured Airflow Obstruction. Chronic Obstr Pulm Dis. 2018;5(3):177-184. Published 2018 Jul 2. doi:10.15326/jcopdf.5.3.2017.0145 
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Adults Age 18 and Older: United States, 2023 Accessed February 20, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db529.pdf 
  3. Anderson E, Wiener RS, Resnick K, Elwy AR, Rinne ST. Care coordination for veterans with COPD: a positive deviance study. Am J Manag Care. 2020;26(2):63-68
  4. Rau A, Tarr GAM, Baldomero AK, et al. Heat and cold wave-related mortality risk among United States veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a case-crossover study. Environ Health Perspect. 2024;132(2):27004. 
  5. American war and military operations casualties: lists and statistics. Congress.gov. Published July 29, 2020. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/RL32492 
  6. Defense Casualty Analysis System. U.S. Military Casualties - Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) Casualty Summary by Casualty Category. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://dcas.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/conflictCasualties/oif/byCategory 
  7. Defense Casualty Analysis System. U.S. Military Casualties - Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Casualty Summary by Casualty Category. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://dcas.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/conflictCasualties/oef/byCategory 
  8. Defense Casualty Analysis System. U.S. Military Casualties - Operation Freedom's Sentinel (OFS) Casualty Summary by Casualty Category. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://dcas.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/conflictCasualties/ofs/byCategory 
  9. Defense Casualty Analysis System. U.S. Military Casualties - Operation New Dawn (OND) Casualty Summary by Casualty Category. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://dcas.dmdc.osd.mil/dcas/conflictCasualties/ond/byCategory