OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of COPD in China has been estimated at approximately 8%, with only a third of patients receiving a diagnosis.  The overall prevalence it is expected to rise considerably. The aim of this study was to quantify the burden associated with this condition in urban China. METHODS: Data from the 2010 China National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) were used (N=19,954). The NHWS is a self-reported survey administered to the adult population of urban China using a mixed methodology.  Respondents with varying levels of self-reported COPD severity (mild or moderate/severe) were compared with those who did not report a COPD diagnosis on health status (using the SF-12v2 instrument).  Regression modeling controlled for demographics (age, gender, education), health behaviors (smoking status, exercise behavior, alcohol use), and comorbidities (BMI level and Charlson comorbidity index). RESULTS: A total of 890 patients reported a diagnosis of COPD (4.46%). Most patients reported their condition as mild (n=697; 78.31%) with the remaining patients reporting their condition as either moderate or severe (n=193; 21.69%).  Even after adjusting for covariates, patients with moderate/severe COPD reported significantly worse mean mental (44.90 vs. 46.26) and physical (47.26 vs. 49.59) component summary scores compared with those without COPD (p<.05). Similarly, patients with moderate/severe COPD reported significantly worse health state utilities compared with those without COPD (0.68 vs. 0.71). No health status differences were observed between those with mild COPD and those without COPD.  CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a significant burden among those who reported a diagnosis of COPD in urban China. As the prevalence of COPD continues to rise, a greater emphasis on disease management could result in an improvement in health status.