Statistics about Asthma

Prevalence and incidence statistics for Asthma:

See also prevalence and incidence page for 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)

Prevelance statistics about 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)
• more about prevalence...»

Incidence statistics about 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)
• more about incidence...»

Asthma Prevalence: Book Excerpts

• Causes and incidence - Asthma
• Asthma - epidemiology - Asthma

Death and mortality statistics for Asthma:

Deaths from Asthma: 5,637 deaths in 1995 (NHLBI); 4,657 deaths reported in USA 1999 (NVSR Sep 2001); approximately 5,000 deaths annually (NIAID)

Death rate extrapolations for USA for Asthma: 5,637 per year, 469 per month, 108 per week, 15 per day, 0 per hour, 0 per minute, 0 per second. Note: this extrapolation calculation uses the deaths statistic: 5,637 deaths in 1995 (NHLBI); 4,657 deaths reported in USA 1999 (NVSR Sep 2001); approximately 5,000 deaths annually (NIAID)

Death statistics for Asthma:

The following are statistics from various sources about deaths and Asthma:

• 5,000 deaths each year in the USA (Scientific American, 2000)
• 4,000 deaths annually in the US (Mayo Clinic)
• More than 24% of asthma deaths are African Americans in America (CBCF Health Organisation, 2004)
• 188% increase in African American children in America 1980-1993(CBCF Health Organisation, 2004)
• Death 4 to 6 times more likely for African American children in America 1993 (CBCF Health Organisation, 2004)
• 1.9 males per 100,000 population die from asthma in Australia 2002 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 2.1 females per 100,000 population die from asthma in Australia 2002 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 4,269 people died from asthma each year in the US 2001 (Deaths: Final Data for 2001, NCHS, CDC)
• 1.5 people per 100,000 died from asthma each year in the US 2001 (Deaths: Final Data for 2001, NCHS, CDC)
• Death statistics for various countries worldwide:
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 20 male deaths per 100,000 population in Australia 2002 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 5 male deaths per 100,000 population in Canada 1998 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 15 male deaths per 100,000 population in Czech Republic 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 35 male deaths per 100,000 population in Denmark 1998 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 19 male deaths per 100,000 population in Finland 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 8 male deaths per 100,000 population in France 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 21 male deaths per 100,000 population in Germany 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 1 male deaths per 100,000 population in Greece 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 30 male deaths per 100,000 population in Hungary 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 7 male deaths per 100,000 population in Ireland 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 16 male deaths per 100,000 population in Italy 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 10 male deaths per 100,000 population in Japan 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 24 male deaths per 100,000 population in Korea 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 30 male deaths per 100,000 population in Netherlands 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 12 male deaths per 100,000 population in New Zealand 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 21 male deaths per 100,000 population in Norway 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 21 male deaths per 100,000 population in Poland 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 5 male deaths per 100,000 population in Portugal 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 17 male deaths per 100,000 population in Slovakia 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 6 male deaths per 100,000 population in Spain 1998 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 13 male deaths per 100,000 population in Sweden 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 20 male deaths per 100,000 population in Switzerland 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 6 male deaths per 100,000 population in the UK 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 28 male deaths per 100,000 population in the US 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 11 female deaths per 100,000 population in Australia 2002 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 3 female deaths per 100,000 population in Canada 1998 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 5 female deaths per 100,000 population in Czech Republic 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 28 female deaths per 100,000 population in Denmark 1998 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 5 female deaths per 100,000 population in Finland 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 4 female deaths per 100,000 population in France 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 8 female deaths per 100,000 population in Germany 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 11 female deaths per 100,000 population in Hungary 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 5 female deaths per 100,000 population in Ireland 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 5 female deaths per 100,000 population in Italy 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 3 female deaths per 100,000 population in Japan 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 10 female deaths per 100,000 population in Korea 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 12 female deaths per 100,000 population in Netherlands 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 9 female deaths per 100,000 population in New Zealand 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 13 female deaths per 100,000 population in Norway 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 6 female deaths per 100,000 population in Poland 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 2 female deaths per 100,000 population in Portugal 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 5 female deaths per 100,000 population in Slovakia 2000 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 2 female deaths per 100,000 population in Spain 1998 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 9 female deaths per 100,000 population in Sweden 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 7 female deaths per 100,000 population in Switzerland 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 3 female deaths per 100,000 population in the UK 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
  • Bronchitis, emphysema and asthma caused 20 female deaths per 100,000 population in the US 1999 (WHO 2004; AIHW National Mortality Database, Australia’s Health 2004)
• more about deaths...»

Deaths from Asthma: Asthma claims approximately 5,000 lives annually in the United States. (Source: excerpt from Asthma A Concern for Minority Populations, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Society statistics for Asthma

  Costs for Asthma: $14.0 billion with $9.4b direct, $2.7b morbidity, $1.9b mortality (NHLBI 2002)

  Costs for Asthma: 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. (Source: excerpt from Facts About Asthma: CDC-OC)

  Hospitalizations for Asthma: 478,000 (NHLBI 1999)

Hospitalization statistics for Asthma:

The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Asthma:

• 500,000 hospitalizations annually in the US (Mayo Clinic)
• 1.5 million ED visits in 1995 (NHLBI)
• 201 males per 100,000 population are hospitalised with asthma in Australia 2001-2002 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 217 females per 100,000 population are hospitalised with asthma in Australia 2001-2002 (Australia’s Health 2004, AIHW)
• 0.49% (62,273) of hospital consultant episodes were for asthma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 83% of hospital consultant episodes for asthma required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 45% of hospital consultant episodes for asthma were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 55% of hospital consultant episodes for asthma were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 96% of hospital consultant episodes for asthma required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 3.2 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for asthma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 2 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for asthma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 30 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for asthma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 46% of hospital consultant episodes for asthma occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 8% of hospital consultant episodes for asthma occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 1% of hospital consultant episodes for asthma were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.31% (164,826) of hospital bed days were for asthma in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.076% (9,643) of hospital consultant episodes were for status asthmaticus in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 77% of hospital consultant episodes for status asthmaticus required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 45% of hospital consultant episodes for status asthmaticus were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 55% of hospital consultant episodes for status asthmaticus were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 98% of hospital consultant episodes for status asthmaticus required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 3.9 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for status asthmaticus in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 2 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for status asthmaticus in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 29 was the mean age of patients hospitalised for status asthmaticus in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 52% of hospital consultant episodes for status asthmaticus occurred in 15-59 year olds in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 7% of hospital consultant episodes for status asthmaticus occurred in people over 75 in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0% of hospital consultant episodes for status asthmaticus were single day episodes in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 0.055% (28,718) of hospital bed days were for status asthmaticus in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• Hospitalization statistics in Australia:
  • Hospitalisations for asthma at public hospitals occurred in 12.1 people per 10,000 population in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)
  • 2.6 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for asthma in public hospitals in Australia 2001-02 (Australian Hospital Data, AIHW, Australia, 2001-02)

  Physician office visits for Asthma: 9,498,000 (NHLBI 1999)

Physician office visit statistics for Asthma:

The following are statistics from various sources about physician office visits and Asthma:

• 11.3 million people visited a physicians office for asthma in the US 2001 (National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2001 Summary, NCHS, CDC)
• 11,280,000 people visited a physician’s office for asthma in the US 2001 (National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2001)
• 1.9 million people visited the emergency hospital department for asthma in the US 2002 (National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2002 Summary, NCHS, CDC)
• 1.2 million people visited a hospital outpatient department for asthma in the US 2002 (National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 2002 Summary, NCHS, CDC)

About statistics:

This page presents a variety of statistics about Asthma. 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.

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