Urban-Rural Differences in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis-Related Mortality Rates in the United States

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive disease with a short median survival time. Patients living in remote areas are likely to experience worse outcomes because of limited access to ILD specialty care and resources. A recent study demonstrated that patients with IPF from rural areas tend to seek treatment from ILD centers harboring more advanced disease compared with their suburban counterparts. 1 DeDent A.M. Collard H.R. Thakur N. Disparities in rural populations with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Chest. 2022; 162: 630-634 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (5) Google Scholar However, prior studies have not explored the urban-rural disparities in IPF-related mortality rates in the United States. This study aimed to assess IPF-related mortality rates and trends, stratified by urbanization in the United States.