Comparison of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease awareness across two cross-sectional surveys in Southeastern China from 2019 to 2025

This study analyzed differences in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) knowledge awareness among Fujian residents aged 40 years and older, to provide scientific evidence to improve COPD prevention and management. We used data from two independent cross-sectional surveys from the China COPD Surveillance Program conducted in 2019–2020 and 2024–2025, respectively. A multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was adopted. Changes in participants’ responses were analyzed using the chi-square test and multivariable logistic regression. A total of 5,482 participants were recruited in 2019–2020 and 5,438 in 2024–2025. Participants’ awareness rates of COPD knowledge categories, including the disease name, pulmonary function tests, and other COPD-related knowledge, significantly increased over the 5-year period, rising from 8.1% to 16.9%, 21.3% to 35.3%, and 5.4% to 12.9%, respectively (all P < 0.05). Primary channels for learning about COPD were hospitals and physicians, relatives and friends, and, increasingly, the Internet. Dyspnea had the highest awareness rate among COPD symptoms at both time points, while risk factors with the greatest awareness were smoking in 2019–2020 and severe outdoor air pollution in 2024–2025. Awareness of the name of COPD, pulmonary function testing, and other COPD-related knowledge all increased significantly. COPD prevention and health education should continue to be strengthened among the target population.