Tennessee Among States With Highest COPD Rates as Gov. Bill Lee Proclaims November COPD Awareness Month

Proclamation spotlights the one in 10 Tennessee adults living with COPD as advocates call for earlier diagnosis and an end to barriers that delay treatment

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has proclaimed November 2026 as COPD Awareness Month, putting a spotlight on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a disease that affects roughly one in 10 Tennessee adults and claims thousands of lives in the state every year.

COPD, which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis, is a progressive lung disease that makes it harder to breathe over time and can rob people of the ability to work or even walk across a room. Yet it remains underdiagnosed, undertreated and too often overlooked.

"COPD takes a tremendous toll on Tennesseans and the loved ones who care for them," said Governor Bill Lee. "Recognizing November as COPD Awareness Month reinforces our commitment to improving lung health, expanding prevention and early diagnosis and ensuring Tennesseans can access the care they need."

The Governor's official COPD Awareness Month proclamation can be viewed here.

The COPD Action Alliance applauded the Governor for shining a light on a disease that hits Tennessee harder than almost any other state and urged state leaders to follow the proclamation with action.

"Governor Lee's proclamation sends a clear message to the one in 10 Tennessee adults living with COPD: you are not invisible, and you are not alone," said Sarah Hoffman, Director of the COPD Action Alliance. "Too many people are diagnosed only after they have lost lung function, and too many are blocked from the treatments their doctors prescribe by insurance red tape, like step therapy and prior authorization. Recognition is a start, but it must be followed by action. We urge lawmakers in Nashville and Washington to expand early screening, end the insurance barriers that delay care and make lung health the priority it should be."

The toll in Tennessee is severe. Chronic lower respiratory disease, mostly COPD, is the fourth-leading cause of death in Tennessee according to 2024 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, and roughly one in 10 Tennessee adults has been diagnosed with COPD. It is especially prevalent among older adults, rural communities and people with a history of smoking or exposure to environmental and occupational pollutants.

The COPD Action Alliance is urging state and federal policymakers to invest in prevention and early diagnosis, eliminate insurance barriers that delay prescribed treatment, expand access to pulmonary rehabilitation and treat COPD as the major national public health challenge it is.

Throughout COPD Awareness Month, patients, caregivers, clinicians and policymakers are encouraged to recognize symptoms such as persistent coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, and urge their elected officials to support policies that improve care for people living with the disease. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should ask a health care provider about spirometry, a simple breathing test that can detect COPD.

About the COPD Action Alliance

The COPD Action Alliance brings together patients, health care providers, advocates and other stakeholders to elevate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as a national health priority and advance policies that improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for people living with COPD.

SOURCE COPD Action Alliance