Meredith G.

Hennon, MPH
and the Supercourse
team in Pittsburgh
Background
Asthma is a chronic lung-disease that
inflames and narrows the airways (tubes
that bring air into and out of an
individuals lungs).

Asthma is the most common chronic

disease among children.
Symptoms
Common symptoms of asthma include:
Coughing
Wheezing
Tightness in the chest
Shortness of breath
Causes
While the exact cause of asthma is not
known, it is thought that a variety of factors
interacting with one another, early in life,
result in the development of asthma.
Causes
Parents with asthma
Atopy
Childhood respiratory infections
Exposure to allergens or infections while
the immune system is developing
Diagnosis
Based on:
Medical history
Physical examination
Test results
Asthma Triggers
A variety of things can cause asthma
symptoms to appear:
Allergens
Irritants
Food and drinks
Medicines
Physical activity
Upper respiratory infections (viral)
Asthma prevalence
In the United States:
More females than males have asthma.
Blacks and American Indian/Alaska natives
have higher percentages of asthma than
Whites, Hispanics, and Asians.
Asthma prevalence, 2005
Lifetime asthma diagnosis, 2005
Asthma disparities
Death from asthma is 3 times more
likely to occur among Blacks than
Whites.
Among adults, women of all races have
higher rates of illness and death from
asthma than men.
Rates of hospitalization for asthma for
Blacks are almost triple those for
Whites.
Number of asthma deaths per
100,000 population, 2003
Increasing rates
Asthma rates have been increasing in
the United States for both adults and
children, males and females, and in the
different races and ethnicities.
It is estimated that the number of people
with asthma worldwide will increase by
25% in the next 15 years.
 Child and Adult Asthma Prevalence
United States, 1980-2007
14 Child Lifetime

12 Adult
Prevalence (%)

10

6 Current
4

2 12-Month
0
80

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

96
98

00

02

04

06
19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19
19

20

20

20

20
Year

Source: National Health Interview Survey; CDC National Center for Health Statistics
 Asthma Prevalence by Sex
United States, 1980-2007
14
Female
Lifetime
12 Male
10
Prevalence (%)

8
12-Month
6
Current
4

0
80

82

84

86

88

90

92

94

96

98

00

02

04

06
Year
19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

19

20

20

20

20
Source: National Health Interview Survey; CDC National Center for Health Statistics
 Asthma Prevalence by Race/Ethnicity
United States, 1997-2007
18
16 Black NH
Prevalence (%)

14 Lifetime
12 White NH
10 Hispanic
8
6
4 Current
2
0
97
98
99
00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
19
19
19
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
20
Year

Source: National Health Interview Survey; National Center for Health Statistics
Worldwide Burden of Asthma
300 million people suffer from asthma
worldwide.

255,000 asthma deaths in 2005.

~3,500 in the United States.

Over 80% of asthma deaths occur in low

and lower-middle income countries.
Treatment
While asthma cannot be cured, it can be
controlled:
Medications
Long term
Quick relief
Bronchial thermoplasty
Learning to recognize ones own triggers and
taking steps to avoid them.
Treatment
Medication
Long term
Inhaled corticosteroid
Leukotriene modifiers
Long-acting beta agonists
Combination inhalers
Treatment
Quick relief (rescue) medications
Short-acting beta agonists
Ipratropium
Oral and intravenous corticosteroids
Bronchial thermoplasty
Recognizing, tracking, and avoiding triggers
Review Questions (Developed
by the Supercourse team)
What are some of the common asthma
triggers?
Which age, sex, and/or racial groups
see disparities in asthma prevalence
rates, as well as hospitalizations and
deaths?
Describe the process of asthma
diagnosis.