Asthma Risk

ASTHMA RISK

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Asthma Risk

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Asthma Death Rates Higher for Minorities

Black Americans and Hispanics have a higher asthma risk than white Americans.

Research shows that even though Black Americans have only a slightly higher prevalence rate of asthma than whites (8.5 percent versus 7.1 percent), blacks are, nevertheless, three times more likely to die or be hospitalized because of asthma.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, while asthma mortality rates have gone down overall since 1995, racial disparities remain.

Recent findings indicate that about 11 Americans per day, or 4000 people per year, die of asthma.

Floyd Malveaux, M.D., dean of Howard University's College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., says the reasons are complex. "We know that this is one of many diseases in which minorities and underserved populations are disproportionately affected," he says. "A lot of the disparities are related to poverty."

Malveaux says lack of access to care plays a large role.

"It's not just about having health insurance," he says, "but also about whether there is access to transportation and knowing how to use the health care system."

"There may be no access to asthma specialists, perhaps because of limitations in managed care. So then what you have is a reactive situation and a lot of emergency room visits versus a proactive situation that focuses on prevention."

He also points out that when you're living in poverty you can't control the environment like you may want to.

"I think of an area in Detroit where big diesel trucks come across from Canada," he says. "You can see the line of trucks emitting diesel fuel in a poor neighborhood, and the people who live there can't control that."

Other factors increasing asthma risk for minorities may be the challenge of paying for asthma medications and exposure to smoking, mold, and cockroaches.

Research supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has found that children in inner-city areas who were both allergic to cockroaches and heavily exposed to them had higher rates of hospitalization for asthma, missed school more often, and suffered more sleep loss.

Asthma is the number one cause of school absenteeism in the U.S.

Hispanics also have higher death rates from asthma compared with whites, with Puerto Ricans experiencing the highest burden.

Although asthma affects people of all ages, it usually starts in childhood. More boys have asthma than girls, but in adulthood, more women have asthma than men.

In the United States about 20 million people have been diagnosed with asthma, nearly 9 million of them are children.

The following brief video clips from television news broadcasts show clearly why asthma is more common amongst poorer, inner city, minority youth.

Click on the arrow in the center of screen to begin viewing.

The second video shows the same story from a different angle. See what happens when tenants unite and take their landlords to court.

Click on the arrow in the center of the screen to begin viewing.

(Which is the best air purifier for you? Video clip shows comparative study of different brands. Make an informed choice. Click here: Air Purifiers)

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