Fast Facts on Asthma

? Asthma ranks among the most common chronic conditions in the United States, affecting an estimated 17 million persons.

? Each year asthma attacks cause more than 1.8 million emergency department visits, 500,000 hospitalizations, and 5,500 deaths.

? The estimated cost for asthma, direct and indirect, is nearly $12.6 billion.

? Asthma disproportionately affects children and African Americans. Among the general population, it affects women more than men; however, among children it affects boys more than girls.

? More people in the southern United States have asthma than any other region.

Source: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology