Study finds mental health disorders in COPD patients often undiagnosed, undertreated

Mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are underdiagnosed and undertreated in people with COPD, potentially worsening symptoms and reducing quality of life, according to a study.

The study, published in the January 2025 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, found that fewer than half of patients who met diagnostic criteria for depression or anxiety were receiving mental health treatment.

COPD, an inflammatory lung disease that includes conditions such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, affects more than 30 million Americans and is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. Depression and anxiety are common in people with COPD and can contribute to increased breathlessness, reduced functionality, poor sleep quality and decreased quality of life.

“People with COPD are sometimes screened for mental health disorders using questionnaires; however, they lack the ability to confirm the diagnosis of depression and anxiety and thus may hinder those with the diagnosis from receiving appropriate mental health care,” said Jing Wang, MD, a pulmonologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and the study’s first author.

The study analyzed data from the Anxiety and COPD Evaluation, a national observational survey assessing anxiety screening tools in COPD patients. Researchers used the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) to formally diagnose depression and anxiety. Of 220 participants, 18 (8%) met the criteria for depression, and 17 (8%) met the criteria for anxiety.

Despite these findings, many patients were not receiving mental health care, highlighting a persistent gap in treatment. The study’s authors emphasized the need for better diagnostic methods and treatment approaches to improve outcomes for COPD patients with mental health disorders.

“Further research is needed to determine how treating mental health disorders could improve outcomes for people with COPD over time,” Wang said.