Asthma Statistics

Asthma occurs in people of all ages, ethnicities, and genders, but there are some populations where asthma prevalence is more common.

Asthma prevalence

• 28.2 million people live with asthma in the U.S. **Estimate based upon NIH percentages compared with U.S. census data for same year
• Asthma currently affects 8.9% of adults and 6.7% of children.
• 10.3% of children been diagnosed with asthma at one time in their lives.
• Asthma is more common in school aged children and teens than infants and toddlers.
• Asthma affects more boys than girls in childhood 
• Asthma is more common in adult women than adult men
• Asthma is more common in American Indians/Alaskan Natives, Black Americans, and people with multiple ethnicities. 

Asthma prevalence by race and ethnicity in adults

• American Indians/Alaskan Natives 9.8 %
• Blacks 11.7% 
• Multiple races 12.5-14%
• Whites 8.9% 
• Hispanics 7.0% 
  • There is a wide divergence in asthma morbidity among Hispanic subgroups.
  • Puerto Ricans had over twice the asthma rate as compared to the overall Hispanic population in 2019.
• Asians 4.9%

*Note this is data from 2023

Asthma prevalence by race and ethnicity in children and adolescents

• Blacks 11.5%
• Multiple races 7.5%
• Whites 6%
• Hispanics 7.1%
• Asians 2.8%

*Note this is data from 2023 and no data on American

Definition of asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that inflames and narrows the airways. This causes periods of coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and shortness of breath. People who have asthma may experience symptoms that range from mild to severe and may happen rarely or every day. When symptoms get worse, it is called an asthma attack. Asthma affects people of all ages and often starts during childhood. Knowing “what is asthma” is the first step towards management.

The goal of asthma management is to achieve control with an Asthma Action Plan. An Asthma Action Plan includes monitoring, avoiding triggers, and using medicines. 

Causes of asthma

The exact cause of asthma is unknown, though it may be a combination of factors some of which include:

• Genetics 
• Viral respiratory infections in early childhood 
• Possible environmental exposures, such as children born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy, or children exposed to indoor allergens and/or outdoor pollution.

Asthma triggers

There are multiple environmental and behavioral factors which can trigger asthma symptoms. Some of the most frequently reported asthma triggers include:

• Allergens, such as pollen and mold
• Respiratory viruses or the flu
• Smoking and/or vaping
• Air pollution
• Exercise
• Animal or pet dander (including from dogs and cats)
• Exposure to critters such as dust mites, cockroaches or mice
• Strong odors or chemicals

Disparities in asthma

In addition to the disparities seen in asthma between gender, age, and ethnicity, there are also disparities based upon household income:

• Asthma affects 12.5% of adults and 9.7% of children living in poverty.
• As income increases, asthma prevalence decreases, with those in the highest income bracket having the lowest rates of asthma in both children and adults.

Asthma morbidity & mortality

There are over 28 million people living with asthma in the United States, including:

• 4.9 million children under the age of 18 
• 23.6 million adults 

Of those who have ever had an asthma diagnosis, many reported at least one or more asthma attack including:

• 52.7% of children
• 40.4% of adults 

In 2023, a total of 3,624 people died from asthma

• Asthma death rates increase with age with people over the age of 70 having the highest rates.
• Adult females have higher rates of death than adult males.
• In children and teens, males have higher rates of deaths than females.
• Black Americans are three times more likely to die from asthma than non-Hispanic Whites.
• More people in the U.S. South died from asthma than any other region.

School Children and Asthma

Asthma is one of the leading chronic illnesses of childhood and adolescence 

• One in 12 school-aged children have asthma.
• Nearly 14 million school days are missed annually due to asthma.
• Children with asthma miss 2.3 days more of school than their peers with a per-child cost of $207.
• Over half of school children with asthma missed as least one day of school in the previous year due asthma.
• Children who miss school in the previous year due to asthma are more likely to be poor and children of color.
• 5.5% of children with an asthma-related school absence were unable to see a primary care doctor due to cost.

The economic burden of asthma

Asthma is an extremely expensive disease, costing the United States $81.9 billion annually.

• 61% of these costs are medical 
• 39% of costs are associated with absenteeism and mortality.
• Nearly 34% of adults report missing one or more work days in the previous 12 months due to asthma in 2014.

The annual per-person medical costs for asthma are $3,266 annually.  These costs break down as follows:

• $1,830 for medications 
• $640 for office visits 
• $529 for hospitalizations 
• $176 for outpatient hospital visits 
• $105 for care in the emergency department 

Asthma-related deaths cost $29 billion annually. About 49% of people with no insurance or only partial insurance coverage report cost barriers to asthma care.