News
Burden of Asthma Study Released
November 25, 2008
This report represents the most current and comprehensive investigation of asthma prevalence conducted in the New England (NE) region. It examinesthe health, socioeconomic, behavioral, and environmental predictors that relate to adult and child asthma in the six states (Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont). It was produced by the New England Asthma Regional Council (ARC), a coalition of public agencies, private organizations and researchers working together to address the environmental contributors to asthma. This report, which follows an earlier study conducted by ARC on 2001 asthma rates, uses data obtained from both the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health (n=12,026) and the 2004 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS; n=33,618) providing a richer, more comprehensive picture of the disease as it manifests itself amongst both children and adults in the region.
Asthma is a chronic and potentially serious respiratory disease that, if not treated, can cause permanent lung damage, disability and even death. The airways become constricted through swelling and excessive mucous production, making it difficult to breathe. In 2003, asthma had affected nearly 30 million Americans in their lifetime, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The disease costs the U.S. economy about $16 billion each year in direct medical care and lost productivity.1 In 2002, asthma accounted for more than 12.7 million physician office visits, 1.9 million emergency department visits, nearly 500,000 hospitalizations, and over 4,000 deaths in the United States.2
Results presented in this report indicate that asthma rates in New England (NE) remain consistently higher for both adults and children than in the rest of the country. Current asthma rates for New England children ages 13-17 and for adults ages 18-34 and 35-54 (which are thebulk of asthma cases) were significantly higher than comparable rates in the rest of the US. Approximately 14% of NE children and 15 % of NE adults have been diagnosed with asthma in their lifetimes, representing an estimated 1.62 million adults and 475,000 children. Nearly ten percent of NE children and adults currently had asthma in 2004, representing an estimated one million adults and 330,000 children. Current and lifetime asthma rates were statistically similar in all six NE states for both adults and children, and were highest among older children, younger adults, the obese of all ages, and those with lower incomes. However the disease afflicts people of all socio-economic and racial backgrounds.
Among adults, the prevalence of both lifetime and current asthma in NE increased significantlybetween 2001 (when ARC conducted its last analysis) and 2004. However the lifetime ratesincreased both for men and women, while the current rates increased only in women, whilecurrent rates for men remained virtually unchanged. Direct comparisons of childhood asthma rates were not made because the survey methods differed in 2001 and 2004; however,estimates of the numbers of New England children affected by current asthma increased from 288,100 in 2001 to 330,000 in 2004.
Childhood asthma rates were higher among boys, while adult asthma rates were higher among women. Persons with asthma were consistently more likely than persons without asthma to be in poorer physical and mental health, more limited in activities, to report a perceived environmental illness (adults), and have poorer school attendance (children). For both children and adults with asthma, the reported impact of asthma was greatest on Blacks and/or Hispanics and those with lower incomes.
Asthma is a chronic and potentially serious respiratory disease that, if not treated, can cause permanent lung damage, disability and even death. The airways become constricted through swelling and excessive mucous production, making it difficult to breathe. In 2003, asthma had affected nearly 30 million Americans in their lifetime, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The disease costs the U.S. economy about $16 billion each year in direct medical care and lost productivity.1 In 2002, asthma accounted for more than 12.7 million physician office visits, 1.9 million emergency department visits, nearly 500,000 hospitalizations, and over 4,000 deaths in the United States.2
Results presented in this report indicate that asthma rates in New England (NE) remain consistently higher for both adults and children than in the rest of the country. Current asthma rates for New England children ages 13-17 and for adults ages 18-34 and 35-54 (which are thebulk of asthma cases) were significantly higher than comparable rates in the rest of the US. Approximately 14% of NE children and 15 % of NE adults have been diagnosed with asthma in their lifetimes, representing an estimated 1.62 million adults and 475,000 children. Nearly ten percent of NE children and adults currently had asthma in 2004, representing an estimated one million adults and 330,000 children. Current and lifetime asthma rates were statistically similar in all six NE states for both adults and children, and were highest among older children, younger adults, the obese of all ages, and those with lower incomes. However the disease afflicts people of all socio-economic and racial backgrounds.
Among adults, the prevalence of both lifetime and current asthma in NE increased significantlybetween 2001 (when ARC conducted its last analysis) and 2004. However the lifetime ratesincreased both for men and women, while the current rates increased only in women, whilecurrent rates for men remained virtually unchanged. Direct comparisons of childhood asthma rates were not made because the survey methods differed in 2001 and 2004; however,estimates of the numbers of New England children affected by current asthma increased from 288,100 in 2001 to 330,000 in 2004.
Childhood asthma rates were higher among boys, while adult asthma rates were higher among women. Persons with asthma were consistently more likely than persons without asthma to be in poorer physical and mental health, more limited in activities, to report a perceived environmental illness (adults), and have poorer school attendance (children). For both children and adults with asthma, the reported impact of asthma was greatest on Blacks and/or Hispanics and those with lower incomes.
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