Health Discoveries in General Health News
Latest CDC figures show 24.6 million Americans have asthma
January 13, 2011
The latest figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that 24.6 million Americans, or 8.2 percent of the population, have asthma.
The report, "Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use, and Mortality: United States, 2005-2009," shows that women, children, non-Hispanic blacks and Puerto Ricans are groups that have a higher rate of asthma than the national average.
Low-income individuals and residents of the Northeast and the Midwest also have a higher rate of having the disease, the study reported.
The study team at the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the CDC, found there were 1.75 million emergency room visits and 456,000 hospitalizations related to asthma during 2007.
In 2008, asthma patients were estimated to miss 14.2 million work days each year and children were found to be absent 10.5 million school days.
The figures are based on data from the National Health Interview Survey, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the National Hospital Discharge Survey, and the National Vital Statistics System.
Within the North Shore-LIJ Health System, researchers are studying the drug tiotropium, a solution administered through an inhaler, to gauge its effectiveness in controlling asthma symptoms when used with patients' usual asthma medications.
The report, "Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use, and Mortality: United States, 2005-2009," shows that women, children, non-Hispanic blacks and Puerto Ricans are groups that have a higher rate of asthma than the national average.
Low-income individuals and residents of the Northeast and the Midwest also have a higher rate of having the disease, the study reported.
The study team at the National Center for Health Statistics, which is part of the CDC, found there were 1.75 million emergency room visits and 456,000 hospitalizations related to asthma during 2007.
In 2008, asthma patients were estimated to miss 14.2 million work days each year and children were found to be absent 10.5 million school days.
The figures are based on data from the National Health Interview Survey, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the National Hospital Discharge Survey, and the National Vital Statistics System.
Within the North Shore-LIJ Health System, researchers are studying the drug tiotropium, a solution administered through an inhaler, to gauge its effectiveness in controlling asthma symptoms when used with patients' usual asthma medications.