Most Recent National Asthma Data

These tables feature the latest national and state statistics on the burden of asthma among children and adults. The data are from national and state surveillance systems administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Links to sources are provided with each table to assist with finding additional information on the data and relevant tables and reports.

See also: State or Territory DataArchived Most Recent Data

National Data

National
Current Asthma1 Prevalence by Select Sociodemographic Characteristics (2021)
National Current Asthma1 Prevalence by Select Sociodemographic Characteristics (2021)
Characteristic2 Weighted Number With Current Asthma1 Percent3 With Current Asthma1 (SE)
Total 24,963,874 7.7 (0.18)
Children (Age <18 years) 4,675,475 6.5 (0.32)
Adults (Age 18+ years) 20,288,399 8.0 (0.20)
Age Groups (Years)
0–4 369,646 1.9 (0.34)
5–11 2,103,060 7.5 (0.58)
5–14 3,123,903 7.7 (0.47)
5-17 (School Age) 4,305,830 8.1 (0.42)
12-14 (Young Teens) 1,020,843 8.0 (0.84)
12-17 2,202,770 8.7 (0.63)
15-17 (Teenagers) 1,181,927 9.5 (0.88)
15–19 1,861,744 9.0 (0.76)
11-21 (Adolescents) 3,806,569 8.4 (0.52)
20–24 1,969,576 9.5 (0.96)
22-39 (Young Adults) 6,331,558 8.2 (0.38)
25–34 3,507,788 7.8 (0.48)
35–64 10,079,876 8.2 (0.27)
65+ 4,034,264 7.2 (0.33)
Sex4
Males 10,273,831 6.5 (0.22)
Boys (Age <18 years) 2,695,146 7.3 (0.49)
Men (Age 18+ years) 7,578,685 6.2 (0.25)
Females 14,690,043 8.9 (0.26)
Girls (Age <18 years) 1,980,329 5.6 (0.41)
Women (Age 18+ years) 12,709,714 9.7 (0.30)
Poverty Level5
Below 100% of the poverty threshold 3,812,653 10.4 (0.61)
100% to less than 250% of the poverty threshold 7,264,566 8.2 (0.35)
250% to less than 450% of the poverty threshold 6,155,634 7.1 (0.31)
450% of poverty threshold or higher 7,731,021 6.8 (0.28)

Abbreviations: NH = Non-Hispanic, SE = Standard Error
1Persons who answered “yes” to the questions “Have you EVER been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had asthma?” and “Do you still have asthma?”
2Numbers within selected characteristics may not sum to total due to rounding and missing values.
3The weighted number of survey participants of the intended population group with current asthma divided by the weighted number of all survey participants in the intended population group and then multiply by 100.
4Persons who answered “male” or “female” to the question “Are you male or female?”
5Poverty level is based on family income and family size using the U.S. Census Bureau’s poverty thresholds. Poverty level was calculated separately using 10 imputed income files.

Source: 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Data (Note: some detailed age group data was analyzed separately).

 

Current Asthma1 Prevalence by Race and Ethnicity Among Children and Adults (2019–2021)
Current Asthma1 Prevalence by Race and Ethnicity Among Children and Adults (2019–2021)
Race and Ethnicity Total2
 With Current Asthma1
Children
Age <18 years
With Current Asthma1
Adults
Age 18+ years
With Current Asthma1
Weighted Number Percent3 (SE) Weighted Number Percent3 (SE) Weighted Number Percent3 (SE)
White NH 14,806,266 7.6 (0.14) 2,074,381 5.5 (0.25) 12,731,885 8.0 (0.16)
Black NH 4,207,324 10.9 (0.41) 1,058,310 11.6 (0.81) 3,149,013 10.7 (0.45)
AI/AN NH4 565,984 12.3 (1.05) 103,757 9.2 (1.64) 426,227 13.3 (1.23)
Asian NH 743,633 4.1 (0.32) 108,819 3.3 (0.53) 634,814 4.2 (0.35)
Multiple NH5 624,874 10.3 (0.85) 221,110 7.4 (0.85) 403,763 13.2 (1.46)
Hispanic 3,916,576 6.4 (0.25) 1,102,471 5.9 (0.37) 2,814,105 6.7 (0.30)
Mexican6 1,967,523 5.4 (0.30) 605,788 5.2 (0.44) 1,361,736 5.5 (0.37)
Other Hispanic6 1,896,557 8.0 (0.40) 483,257 7.1 (0.67) 1,413,299 8.3 (0.49)

Abbreviations: NH = Non-Hispanic, AI/AN = American Indian/ Alaska Native, SE = Standard Error
1Persons who answered "yes" to the questions: "Have you EVER been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had asthma?" and "Do you still have asthma?"
2Total may not equal to the sum of children and adults due to rounding and varying missing values.
3The weighted number of survey participants of the intended population group with current asthma divided by the weighted number of all survey participants in the intended population group and then multiply by 100.
4NH AI/AN only and NH AI/AN with any other group.
5Subcategory includes "Other single and multiple races".
6As a subset of Hispanic.
Source: 2019–2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).

National
Prevalence of Asthma Attacks1 Among Children and Adults With Current Asthma2 (2021)
National Prevalence of Asthma Attacks1 Among Children and Adults With Current Asthma2 by Age (2021)
Characteristic Weighted Number With Asthma Attack1 Percent3 (SE)
Total 9,818,458 39.4 (1.05)
Children (Age <18 years) 1,811,063 38.7 (2.51)
Adults (Age 18+ years) 8,007,395 39.6 (1.18)

Abbreviations: SE = Standard Error
1Having had one or more asthma attacks in the past 12 months among people with current asthma.
2Persons who answered "yes" to the questions: "Have you EVER been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had asthma?" and "Do you still have asthma?"
3The weighted number of survey participants of the intended population group who had one or more asthma attacks in the past 12 months among people with current asthma divided by the weighted number of all survey participants in the intended population group and then multiply by 100.
Source: 2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)

Prevalence of Asthma Attacks1 Among Children and Adults With Current Asthma2 by Race, Ethnicity, and Age (2019–2021)
Prevalence of Asthma Attacks1 Among Children and Adults With Current Asthma2 by Race, Ethnicity, and Age (2019–2021)
Race and Ethnicity Total3
With Asthma Attack
Children
Age <18 years
With Asthma Attack1
Adults
Age 18+ years
With Asthma Attack1
Weighted Number Percent4 (SE) Weighted Number Percent4 (SE) Weighted Number Percent4 (SE)
White NH 6,228,357 42.1 (0.85) 884,799 42.7 (2.12) 5,343,559 42.0 (0.95)
Black NH 1,570,637 37.6 (1.97) 415,410 39.3 (3.55) 1,155,228 37.0 (2.15)
AI/AN NH5 248,982 44.0 (5.37) 49,698 47.9 (10.60) 199,284 43.1 (5.59)
Asian NH 297,084 40.1 (3.90) 47,159 43.3 (7.76) 249,925 39.6 (4.19)
Multiple NH6 226,121 36.3 (4.06) 106,438 48.1 (6.13) 119,683 29.8 (5.15)
Hispanic 1,560,489 39.8 (1.99) 454,698 41.2 (3.58) 1,105,791 39.3 (2.42)
Mexican7 746,911 38.0 (2.83) 243,092 40.1 (5.00) 503,819 37.0 (3.74)
Other Hispanic7 785,373 41.4 (2.59) 203,114 42.0 (5.10) 582,258 41.2 (3.01)

Abbreviations: NH = Non-Hispanic, AI/AN = American Indian/ Alaska Native, SE = Standard Error.
1Having had one or more asthma attacks in the past 12 months among people with current asthma.
2Persons who answered “yes” to the questions “Have you EVER been told by a doctor or other health professional that you had asthma?” and “Do you still have asthma?”
3Total may not equal to the sum of children and adults due to rounding and missing values.
4The weighted number of survey participants of the intended population group who had one or more asthma attacks in the past 12 months among people with current asthma divided by the weighted number of all survey participants with current asthma in the intended population group and then multiply by 100.
5NH AI/AN only and NH AI/AN with any other group combined.
6Subcategory includes “Other single and multiple races”.
7As a subset of Hispanic.
Source: 2019–2021 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS).

National
Asthma Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations Among Children and Adults1 (2020)
National Asthma Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations Among Children and Adults1 (2020)
Emergency Department Visits Hospital Inpatient Stays
Weighted Number of Visits Rate2 (SE) Weighted Number of Visits Rate2 (SE)
Total 986,453 29.8 (0.98) 94,560 2.9 (0.06)
Children (Age <18 years)3 270,330 36.4 (2.69) 27,055 3.6 (0.21)
Adults (Age 18+ years)4 716,117 27.8 (0.89) 67,505 2.6 (0.05)

Abbreviation: SE = Standard Error

Notes:
For detailed estimates refer to 2020 Asthma-related Healthcare Use data web tables: https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/national-surveillance-data/healthcare-use.htm.
Note: in 2020 transitioned to using HCUP data to calculate asthma Emergency Department visits
1Asthma as the primary diagnosis (ICD-10-CM Code: J45).
2Crude rate per 10,000 U.S. Census 2020 population.
3Rate was calculated using the weighted number of visits for children aged 0–17 years divided by the U.S. Census 2020 resident population for children aged 0–17 years and multiplied by 10,000.
4Rate was calculated using the weighted number of visits for adults aged 18+ years divided by the U.S. Census 2020 resident population for adults aged 18+ years and multiplied by 10,000.

Data sources:
Emergency department visits: HCUP, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, National (Nationwide) Emergency Department Samples (NEDS).
Hospital inpatient stays: HCUP, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS). Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. For more information about HCUP data see https://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov/.

Asthma Mortality by Select Sociodemographic Characteristics (2021)
Asthma Mortality by Select Sociodemographic Characteristics (2021)
Characteristic1 Number of Deaths2 Death Rate2 Per Million (SE)
Total 3,517 10.6 (0.18)
Children (Age <18 years)3 145 2.0 (0.16)
Adults (Age 18+ years)4 3,372 13.1 (0.22)
Age Groups (Years)
0–4 26 1.4 (0.27)
5–11 68 2.4 (0.29)
12–17 51 2.0 (0.27)
18–24 113 3.8 (0.35)
25–34 293 6.4 (0.38)
35–64 1,453 11.5 (0.30)
65+ 1,513 27.1 (0.70)
Sex5
Males 1,430 8.7 (0.23)
Age <18 years 89 2.4 (0.25)
Age 18+ years 1,341 10.6 (0.29)
Females 2,087 12.5 (0.27)
Age <18 years 56 1.6 (0.25)
Age 18+ years 2,031 15.4 (0.34)
Race/Ethnicity
White NH 1,929 9.8 (0.22)
  Children (Age <18 years) 36 1.0 (0.17)
  Adults (Age 18+ years) 1,893 11.8 (0.27)
Black NH 1,020 24.4 (0.76)
  Children (Age <18 years) 78 7.7 (0.87)
  Adults (Age 18+ years) 942 29.7 (0.97)
AI/AN NH 19 6 (1.78)
  Children (Age <18 years) 7 7
  Adults (Age 18+ years) 18 6 (2.29)
Asian or NH/OPI NH 139 6.8 (0.58)
  Children (Age <18 years) 7 7
  Adults (Age 18+ years) 139 8.6 (0.73)
Hispanic8 366 5.8 (0.31)
  Children (Age <18 years) 27 1.4 (0.27)
  Adults (Age 18+ years) 339 7.8 (0.42)

Abbreviations: NH = Non-Hispanic, AI/AN = American Indian or Alaska Native, NH/OPI = Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, SE = Standard Error
1Numbers within selected characteristics may not sum to total due to rounding and missing values.
2Asthma as the underlying cause of death (ICD-10 codes J45–J46).
3Crude rate of child deaths was calculated using the number of deaths for children aged 0–17 years and dividing it by the U.S. Census 2021 resident population for children aged 0–17 years per 1,000,000.
4Crude rate of adult deaths was calculated using the number deaths for adults aged 18+ years divided by the U.S. Census 2021 resident population for adults aged 18+ years per 1,000,000.
5Variable includes categories female and male as reported in death certificate.
6Rates are unreliable when the number of deaths is less than 20.
7Data are suppressed when the number of deaths is 9 or fewer.
8Information for Hispanic origin was missing for suppressed number of deaths.
Source: CDC/NCHS, Division of Vital Statistics CDC Wonder