Latvia COPD Index

Latvia scores above average in the Environmental Factors category, with relatively low occupational exposure to COPD risk factors. In the Health System Characteristics category, Latvia scores just below average, with a relatively low number of primary care physicians, despite low annual COPD hospitalizations and good conditions for health data collection and reporting. Latvia scores low in the Access and Care Coverage category, mainly due to very high levels of unmet health care needs, high relative poverty, and relatively low universal health care service coverage. However, Latvia reports good conditions for treatment and drug access. Latvia’s score in the Disease Burden category is slightly above average, with a low COPD death rate, despite the highest smoking rate among the COPD Index countries. Latvia has the lowest score in the Policy Context category, highlighting a need for a COPD strategy, national guidelines, and stronger tobacco control policies.

You can view the data sources for this country HERE