What is Asthma?

Asthma is a temporary blockage of bronchial airways, caused by allergens or irritants that are inhaled into the lungs, resulting in inflamed, clogged and constricted airways. The obstruction is caused by constriction of the muscles surrounding the airways, inflammation and swelling of the airways lining, and increase in mucus production, which blocks the passage of air.

Asthma attacks may range from mild to life-threatening. They may include any one or a combination of these symptoms: difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, or chest tightness. Severe asthma can be deadly. An asthma attack can be triggered by allergens, infections, exercise, abrupt weather changes, or exposure to airway irritants, such as tobacco smoke.

• Everyday 30,000 people suffer from an asthma attack and 14 people die.
• There is no cure for asthma, but asthma can be managed with proper prevention and treatment enabling most people with asthma to lead normal active lives.
• Everyday 14 Americans die from asthma and more than 5000 Americans die yearly from asthma many of which are avoidable with proper treatment and care.
• Asthma is the most common chronic childhood disease, affecting more than one child in 20.
• Asthma results in more hospitalizations than any other childhood disease. African Americans are three times more likely to be hospitalized from asthma and three times more likely to die from asthma. 

Childhood Statistics:

• Asthma is the number1 cause of school absenteeism among children ages 5 to 17.
• Asthma accounts for more than 14 million total missed days of school (about 8 days for each student with asthma).
• Asthma is more common among male children than female children.
• Asthma is more common among children than adults.
• Approximately 5 million asthma sufferers are children.
• Asthma is the third-ranking cause of childhood hospitalization. It accounts for 44 percent of all asthma hospitalizations.
• African American boys have a 30 percent higher rate of asthma than African American girls.

Adults Statistics:

• For adults, asthma is the fourth leading cause of work absenteeism resulting in nearly 15 million missed or lost workdays each year, resulting in a total cost of nearly
  $3 billion in total lost productivity.
• More females die from asthma than males. Their deaths account for nearly 65 percent of asthma deaths overall.

African American / Caucasian Statistics:

• Asthma is highly correlated with poverty, air quality, indoor allergens, and lack of patient education and inadequate medical care.
• Asthma is slightly more prevalent among African Americans than Caucasians.
• African Americans are three times more likely to be hospitalized from asthma.
• African Americans are three times more likely to die from asthma. 
• African American Women have the highest asthma mortality rate of all groups, more than 2.5 times higher than Caucasian women.

Puerto Rican / Hispanic Statistics:

• Puerto Ricans have the highest rate of lifetime asthma among all racial and ethnic groups. Mexicans have the lowest rate.  Puerto Rican children may be three times more likely to be allergic to cockroaches than Caucasian children.
• Currently, Puerto Ricans an 80 percent higher prevalence of asthma than Caucasians.
• Hispanics have lower rates of asthma than African Americans and Caucasian. 
• Puerto Ricans may have higher rates of asthma than other Hispanic subgroups and Caucasians.
• Puerto Ricans have higher asthma death rates than other Hispanic subgroups, Caucasians, or African Americans.
• The annual cost of asthma is estimated to be nearly
  $18 billion.

Allergies

Allergy is characterized by an overreaction of the human immune system to a foreign protein substance (“allergen”) that is eaten, breathed into the lungs, injected or touched. This immune overreaction can results in symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, and scratchy throat. In severe cases, it can also result in rashes, hives, lower blood pressure, difficulty breathing, asthma attacks, and even death.

• More Americans than ever before say they are suffering from allergies. It is among the countries most common, yet often overlooked, diseases.
• Nearly 50 million Americans suffer from all types of allergies (1-in-5 Americans) including indoor/outdoor, food and drug, latex, insect, skin, and eye allergies.
• Allergy is the 5th leading chronic disease in the U.S. among all ages, and the 3rd most common chronic disease among children.