Asthma Statistics

  • Approximately 34.1 million Americans have been diagnosed with asthma by a health professional during their lifetime.1
  • An estimated 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, with 250,000 annual deaths attributed to the disease.2
  • Workplace conditions, such as exposure to fumes, gases or dust, are responsible for 11% of asthma cases worldwide.2
  • About 70% of asthmatics also have allergies.2
  • It is estimated that the number of people with asthma will grow by more than 100 million by 2025.2
  • During 2001-2003, current asthma prevalence was higher in children (8.5%) compared with adults (6.7%).3
  • During 2001-2003, current asthma prevalence was higher in females (8.1%) compared with males (6.2%).3
  • During 2001-2003, current asthma prevalence was higher in blacks (9.2%) compared with whites (6.9%).3
  • During 2001-2003, current asthma prevalence was higher in those of Puerto Rican descent (14.5%) compared with those of Mexican descent (3.9%).3
  • During 2001-2003, current asthma prevalence was higher in those below the federal poverty level (10.3%) compared with those at or above the federal poverty level (6.4% to 7.9%).3
  • During 2001-2003, current asthma prevalence was higher in those residing in the Northeast (8.1%) compared with those residing in other regions (6.7% to 7.5%).3
  • Asthma accounts for approximately 500,000 hospitalizations each year.5
  • 13 million school days are missed each year due to asthma.5
  • Asthma accounts for about 10.1 million missed work days for adults annually.5
  • Asthma was responsible for 3,384 deaths in the United States in 2005.6
  • The annual economic cost of asthma is $19.7 billion. Direct costs make up $14.7 billion of that total, and indirect costs such as lost productivity add another $5 billion.1
  • Prescription drugs represented the largest single direct medical expenditure related to asthma, over $6 billion.1
  • In 2006, asthma prevalence was 20.1% higher in African Americans than in whites.1
  • The prevalence of asthma in adult females was 23% greater than the rate in males, in 2006.1
  • Approximately 40% of children who have asthmatic parents will develop asthma.4
  • In 2005, 8.9% of children in the United States currently had asthma.8
  • Nine million U.S. children under 18 have been diagnosed with asthma at some point in their lifetime.8
  • Nearly 4 million children have had an asthma attack in the previous year.8
  • More than 12 million people in the United States report having an asthma attack in the past year.7
  • Asthma accounts for 217,000 emergency room visits and 10.5 million physician office visits every year.9
  • In 2006, almost 2.5 million people over the age of 65 had asthma, and more than 1 million had an asthma attack or episode.1
  • In a survey of U.S. homes, approximately one-quarter had levels of dust mite allergens present in a bed at a level high enough to trigger asthma symptoms.10
  • In 2007, 29% of children who had a food allergy also had asthma.11
  • Asthma increases the odds of healthcare use in obese people by 33%.12
  • About 23 million people, including almost 7 million children, have asthma.13
  • Approximately 2 million Hispanics in the U.S. have asthma. 14
  • Asthma is the third-ranking cause of hospitalization among children under 15.15
  • An average of one out of every 10 school-aged child has asthma.16
  • Annual expenditures for health and lost productivity due to asthma are estimated at over $20 billion, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.17
  • The latest data from Centers for Disease Control indicate an asthma prevalence rate of 8.4% in the United States. 18
  • The number of people with asthma continues to grow. One in 12 people (about 25 million, or 8% of the population) had asthma in 2009, compared with 1 in 14 (about 20 million, or 7%) in 2001.19
  • More than half (53%) of people with asthma had an asthma attack in 2008. More children (57%) than adults (51%) had an attack. 185 children and 3,262 adults died from asthma in 2007.19
  • About 1 in 10 children (10%) had asthma and 1 in 12 adults (8%) had asthma in 2009. Women were more likely than men and boys more likely than girls to have asthma.19
  • About 1 in 9 (11%) non-Hispanic blacks of all ages and about 1 in 6 (17%) of non-Hispanic black children had asthma in 2009, the highest rate among racial/ethnic groups.19
  • The greatest rise in asthma rates was among black children (almost a 50% increase) from 2001 through 2009.19
  • Asthma cost the US about $3,300 per person with asthma each year from 2002 to 2007 in medical expenses, missed school and work days, and early deaths.19
  • Medical expenses associated with asthma increased from $48.6 billion in 2002 to $50.1 billion in 2007. About 2 in 5 (40%) uninsured people with asthma could not afford their prescription medicines and about 1 in 9 (11%) insured people with asthma could not afford their prescription medicines.19
  • More than half (59%) of children and one-third (33%) of adults who had an asthma attack missed school or work because of asthma in 2008. On average, in 2008 children missed 4 days of school and adults missed 5 days of work because of asthma.19
  • In 2008 less than half of people with asthma reported being taught how to avoid triggers. Almost half (48%) of adults who were taught how to avoid triggers did not follow most of this advice.19
  • The number of people diagnosed with asthma grew by 4.3 million from 2001 to 2009. From 2001 through 2009 asthma rates rose the most among black children, almost a 50% increase. Asthma was linked to 3,447 deaths (about 9 per day) in 2007. Asthma costs in the US grew from about $53 billion in 2002 to about $56 billion in 2007, about a 6% increase. Greater access to medical care is needed for the growing number of people with asthma.19

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  1. American Lung Association. Epidemiology & Statistics Unit, Research and Program Services. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality, November 2007.
  2. World Health Organization. Global surveillance, prevention and control of chronic respiratory diseases: a comprehensive approach, 2007.
  3. Centers for Disease Control. National Surveillance for Asthma - United States, 1980-2004 MMWR, 2007; 56(SS08);1-14;18-54.
  4. Martinez FD, Wright AL, Taussig LM, et al. Asthma and wheezing in the first six years of life, N Engl J Med 1995; 332:133-138.
  5. Akinbami, L. Asthma prevalence, health care use and mortality: United States 2003-05, CDC National Center for Health Statistics, 2006.
  6. American Lung Association, Epidemiology and Statistics Unit, Research and Program Services. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality. November 2007. (ALA age group analysis of NHIS through 2005.
  7. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2008.
  8. Akinbami LJ. The State of childhood asthma, United States, 1980–2005. Advance data from vital and health statistics; no 381, Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2006.
  9. Pitts SR, Niska RW, Xu J, Burt CW. National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2006 emergency department summary. National health statistics reports; no 7. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2008.
  10. Arbes SJ, et al. House dust mite allergen in U.S. beds: Results from the first national survey of lead and allergens in housing. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2003; 111:408-414.
  11. Branum AM, Lukacs SL. Food allergy among U.S. children: Trends in prevalence and hospitalizations. NCHS data brief, no 10. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2008.
  12. Pronk NP, Tan AW, O'Connor P. Obesity, fitness, willingness to communicate and health care costs. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1999; 31:1535-1543.  
  13. Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Adults: National Health Interview Survey, 2008 and Summary Health Statistics for U.S. Children: National Health Interview Survey, 2008.
  14. Akinbami L. Asthma Prevalence, Heath Care Use and Mortality; United States 2003-2005.
  15. DeFrances CJ Cullen KA, Kozak LJ. National Hospital Discharge Survey: 2005 Annual Summary with Detailed Diagnosis and Procedure Data. National Center for Health Statistics. Vital Health Statistics 12 (165); 2007.
  16. American Lung Association, Epidemiology and Statistics Unit, Research and Program Services. Trends in Asthma Morbidity and Mortality. November 2007.
  17. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Chartbook on Cardiovascular, Lung and Blood Diseases, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Health, 2009.
  18. Centers for Disease Control, 2011.
  19. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Vital Signs, May 2011.
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