Racial Disparities in Asthma Hospitalizations Following Implementation of the Smoke-Free Air Law, Michigan, 2002–2012
ORIGINAL RESEARCH — Volume 12 — November 4, 2015
PEER REVIEWED
Asthma hospitalizations steadily increased from 2002 through 2010. In the 32 months following implementation of the SFA law (May 2010), the unadjusted rate of hospitalizations steadily decreased. Hospitalizations would have continued to increase if there had been no SFA law.
Figure 1. Actual and unadjusted modeled rate of asthma hospitalizations per 10,000 population per month among adults aged 20 to 64 years before and after implementation of the Smoke Free Air law (SFA law) (May 2010) and projected hospitalizations without the law, Michigan, January 2002–December 2012.
The black Michigan population is hospitalized at a higher rate than the white population. Following implementation of the SFA law, the rate of asthma hospitalizations decreased for both races, although the decrease was larger for the white population. Hospitalizations would have continued to increase if there had been no SFA law.
Figure 2. Actual and unadjusted modeled rate of asthma hospitalizations, by race, per 10,000 population per month among adults aged 20 to 64 years before and after implementation of the Smoke Free Air law (SFA law) (May 2010) and projected hospitalizations without the law, Michigan, January 2002–December 2012.
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