Prevalence and Incidence of Asthma

Prevalance of Asthma:

6.4% USA (NIAID); 17 million Americans (NIAID) including 5 million children; 8.1 million children (NHIS-97), 51 per 1000 - NHIS95; 14.5 million; 5% of population (NWHIC); 14.9 million in 1995 (NHLBI)

Prevalance Rate:

approx 1 in 15 or 6.40% or 17.4 million people in USA [about data]

Prevalance of Asthma:

Asthma affects more than 5% of the population of the US, including children. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology) ... Asthma affects an estimated 17 million Americans or 6.4 percent of the U.S. population. Children account for 4.8 million of the nation's asthma sufferers. (Source: excerpt from Asthma A Concern for Minority Populations, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID) ... Approximately 5% of the population have asthma, but the basic cause of asthma is not yet understood. (Source: excerpt from ASTHMA: NWHIC)

Prevalence/Incidence of Asthma: Online Medical Books

16 MEDICAL BOOKS ONLINE! Review excerpts from medical books online, free, without registration, for more information about the prevalence and/or incidence of Asthma.

Asthma: Causes and incidence
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))

Asthma that results from sensitivity to specific external allergens is known as extrinsic. In cases in which the allergen isn’t obvious, asthma is referred to as intrinsic. Allergens that cause extrinsic asthma include pollen, animal dander, house dust or mold, kapok or feather pillows, food additives containing sulfites, and any other sensitizing substance. Extrinsic (atopic) asthma usually begins in childhood and is accompanied by other manifestations of atopy (type I, immunoglobulin [Ig] E-mediated allergy), such as eczema and allergic rhinitis. In intrinsic (nonatopic) asthma, no extrinsic allergen can be identified. Most cases are preceded by a severe respiratory infection. Irritants, emotional stress, fatigue, exposure to noxious fumes as well as changes in endocrine, temperature, and humidity may aggravate intrinsic asthma attacks. In many asthmatics, intrinsic and extrinsic asthma coexist.

Several drugs and chemicals may provoke an asthma attack without using the IgE pathway. Apparently, they trigger release of mast-cell mediators by way of prostaglandin inhibition. Examples of these substances include aspirin, various nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as indomethacin and mefenamic acid), and tartrazine, a yellow food dye. Exercise may also provoke an asthma attack. In exercise-induced asthma, bronchospasm may follow heat and moisture loss in the upper airways.

The allergic response has two phases. When the patient inhales an allergenic substance, sensitized IgE antibodies trigger mast-cell degranulation in the lung interstitium, releasing histamine, cytokines, prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, and eosinophil chemotaxic factors. Histamine then attaches to receptor sites in the larger bronchi, causing irritation, inflammation, and edema. In the late phase, inflammatory cells flow in. The influx of eosinophils provides additional inflammatory mediators and contributes to local injury.

Although this common condition can strike at any age, half of all cases first occur in children younger than age 10; in this age-group, asthma affects twice as many males as females. Nearly 1 in 13 children have asthma, which is increasing worldwide. Emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and mortality from asthma have been increasing for more than 20 years, especially among children and blacks.

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Prevelance of Asthma discussion:

Asthma affects 14-15 million Americans, including almost 5 million children. (Source: excerpt from Facts About Asthma: CDC-OC)

Prevelance statistics for Asthma:

The following statistics relate to the prevalence of Asthma:

• Asthma affects 10-12% of adults in Australia (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• Asthma affects 14-16% of children in Australia (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 11.6% of population self-reported having asthma in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 10.5% of male population self-reported having asthma in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 11.5 girls per 100 population under 14 have at some time been diagnosed with asthma in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 12.6% of female population self-reported having asthma in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 12.9 women per 100 population over 15 have at some time been diagnosed with asthma in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 15.1 boys per 100 population under 14 have at some time been diagnosed in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 17.7 men per 100 population over 15 have at some time been diagnosed with asthma in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 20.5 girls per 100 population under 14 have at some time been diagnosed with asthma in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 21.4 women per 100 population over 15 have at some time been diagnosed with asthma in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 26.6 boys per 100 population under 14 have at some time been diagnosed with asthma in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 9.4 men per 100 population over 15 have at some time been diagnosed with asthma in Australia 2001 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 2,197,000 people self-reported having asthma in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 1,203,000 women self-reported having asthma in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 993,000 men self-reported having asthma in Australia 2001 (ABS 2001 National Health Survey, Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 6.4 million children were diagnosed with asthma in the US 2002 (Summary Health Statistics for US Children, 2002, NCHS, CDC)
• 12.2% of children were diagnosed with asthma in the US 2002 (Summary Health Statistics for US Children, 2002, NCHS, CDC)
• 4.1 million children had an asthma attack in the past year in the US 2002 (Summary Health Statistics for US Chidren, 2002, NCHS, CDC)
• 5.8% of children had an asthma attack in the past year in the US 2002 (Summary Health Statistics for US Chidren, 2002, NCHS, CDC)

Incidence statistics for Asthma:

The following statistics relate to the incidence of Asthma:

• Estimated 1.7 million diagnosed African Americans had an asthma attack in America 1998 (CBCF Health Organisation, 2004)
• 26% higher rate of asthma attacks in African American children than white in America (CBCF Health Organisation, 2004)
• 14 million adults were diagnosed with asthma each year in the US 2002 (Summary Health Statistics for US Adults, 2002, NCHS, CDC)
• 6.8% of adults were diagnosed with asthma each year in the US 2002 (Summary Health Statistics for US Adults, 2002, NCHS, CDC)

About prevalence and incidence statistics:

The term 'prevalence' of Asthma usually refers to the estimated population of people who are managing Asthma at any given time. The term 'incidence' of Asthma refers to the annual diagnosis rate, or the number of new cases of Asthma diagnosed each year. Hence, these two statistics types can differ: a short-lived disease like flu can have high annual incidence but low prevalence, but a life-long disease like diabetes has a low annual incidence but high prevalence. For more information see about prevalence and incidence statistics.