1. California, New York, and Texas have the most asthma sufferers.
2. Puerto Ricans have the highest lifetime asthma rates of all ethnic groups.
- 80% higher than non-Hispanic whites, in fact
- Combine that number with Mr. Asthma Mom’s family history of allergies and my daughter’s premature birth. Even if you tried to conceive a child with spazzy lungs, you probably couldn’t come up with a better formula.
3. Asthma hospitalizations are 225% higher for blacks than for whites.
4. While asthma hospitalizations are more common for children than adults, asthma deaths in kids are actually rare.
Sources:
CDC: National Center for Health Statistics
American Lung Association
On number 4, I wonder if asthma deaths are more common with adults because children are geneally audited for medication compliance by adults? Once someone becomes an adult asthmatic, I think the tendency to play the “oh I’m fine” card surfaces from time to time! That, and there’s no one else watching generally.
As far as asthma hospitizations for blacks, my gosh! What a stat. Is it because they have less preventative care? My word!
I think you’re probably right—while I don’t have asthma, if I did I’m sure I’d keep pushing myself to do the laundry, take the girls to riding lessons, run to the grocery store, etc. etc. etc. All the while ignoring my own symptoms.
With AG I can say, “Uh, no. You’re not doing that. You’re going to relax because your peak flows are too low, and you’re sick.” And she has no choice.
I’m guessing, too, part of the reason is that adult-onset asthma tends to be more severe overall than child-onset. So more adults probably experience life-threatening flares than children.
You’d think hospitalizations would be higher for adults, too, then but I’m guessing (I’m doing a lot of guessing today, apparently) THAT statistic stems from the fact that young kids spin out of control more frequently since they can’t express their symptoms well. I know there’s a world of difference between guessing whether a 3 year-old needs another neb. treatment based simply on her coughing and respirations per minute and getting a 9 year-old to check her peak flow after she says, “Mom, my chest hurts.”