Facts About Asthma: CDC-OC

Article title: Facts About Asthma: CDC-OC

Conditions: Asthma

Source: CDC-OC

Facts About Asthma

• Asthma is one of the nation's most common and costly diseases.
• Asthma affects 14-15 million Americans, including almost 5 million children.
• The death rate for children 19 years and younger increased by 78% between 1980 and 1993.
• In 1990, costs related to asthma were estimated to total $6.2 billion; the projected cost of asthma in this country for the year 2000 is expected to double to $14.5 billion.
• Environmental interventions, in combination with medical management, can significantly reduce the burden of asthma.
• Although much has been learned in recent years about how to prevent asthma, this information still needs to be put into sound public health practice.
• Managing asthma requires a long-term, multifaceted approach, including patient education, behavior changes, avoidance of asthma triggers, pharmacologic therapy, and frequent medical follow-up.

• CDC is developing a national strategy to assist States in developing asthma prevention programs to:
  • Promote healthy home environments
  • Translate science into public health practice
  • Provide patient and community-level education and develop prevention partnerships
  • Define what is the problem, what is the cause, what works to prevent it, and how it can be done

Media Home | Contact Us

CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z

This page last reviewed
URL:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Office of Communication