Global disparities in chronic dyspnoea prevalence in population-based studies: a comprehensive literature review

Chronic dyspnoea is a common and disabling symptom that remains under-investigated as an independent entity at a population level. Most research has focused on dyspnoea as a feature of specific diseases, mainly in high-income countries.

We aimed to assess the global prevalence of chronic dyspnoea in population-based studies, and discuss disparities across regions and populations, including low- and middle-income countries.

PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Google Scholar and Embase were searched using dedicated algorithms. The literature up to 2 September 2025 was reviewed; studies reporting chronic dyspnoea prevalence in general populations were included, and those restricted to older adults or specific subgroups were excluded.

68 studies met the inclusion criteria. Although limited in scope, the modified Medical Research Council scale was the most frequently used tool. Prevalence varied widely, from 5-10% in Europe to >25% in South Asia. Differences were observed between high- and low-income countries, between low-income countries, and within the same country over time. Observed disparities stem from variations in definitions, assessment methods, socioeconomic conditions, possible genetic predispositions, environmental exposures, and lifestyle factors. Chronic dyspnoea has been associated with demographic, behavioural and health-related factors including sex, age, weight, physical activity and comorbidities.

There are major global disparities in the prevalence of chronic dyspnoea between and within countries at different income levels. There is a critical need for targeted, country-specific studies, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, to support equitable interventions, and for newly designed studies using more detailed and comprehensive measures of dyspnoea.