Asthma in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Asthma is a serious chronic disease that affects the lungs. Asthma can cause symptoms such as wheezing, difficulty breathing and coughing. Common asthma triggers include tobacco smoke, dust mites, outdoor air pollution, pets and mold. Risk factors for asthma include allergies, childhood respiratory infections and family history of asthma. A person can be diagnosed with asthma at any point in their life. 

Asthma is associated with 14.2 million lost work days among adults in the United States every year. In 2013, asthma cost the U.S. an estimated $81.9 billion in medical costs and missed school or work days.

According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of asthma is higher among:

• Women compared with men.
• Adults ages 45-64 compared with adults age 65 and older. 
• Multiracial, American Indian/Alaska Native and Black adults compared with Asian and Hispanic adults.
• Adults with an annual household income less than $25,000 compared with those who have higher incomes.
• Adults living in nonmetropolitan areas compared with those in metropolitan areas.
• Adults who have difficulty with self-care compared with adults who do not have a disability.
• Lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ+) adults compared with straight adults.
• Adults who have not served in the U.S. armed forces compared with adults who have served.

Additionally, the Asthma Disparities in America report found that:

• Puerto Ricans have the highest prevalence of asthma of any racial/ethnic group. 
• Deaths due to asthma are higher in Black and Puerto Rican populations compared with white populations.

A doctor can determine if a person has asthma by asking questions about their breathing and family history. The doctor might perform a spirometry test to see how well the lungs work. Asthma symptoms can be controlled by following your doctor’s advice and avoiding asthma triggers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone with asthma develop an Asthma Action Plan with their health care provider to help prevent and control asthma attacks. Sometimes, an allergist is required to better manage symptoms and prevent asthma attacks. The American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology has a locator tool to help find an allergist near you. 

County Health Rankings & Roadmaps also recommends having a professional perform a healthy home environment assessment to reduce exposures to allergens and improve air quality for better management of asthma and respiratory health.

Healthy People 2030 has multiple objectives related to respiratory disease, including: 

• Reducing asthma attacks.
• Reducing asthma deaths.
• Reducing hospitalizations for asthma.

“Asthma Disparities in America: A Roadmap to Reducing Burden on Racial and Ethnic Minorities.” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2020. https://aafa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/asthma-disparities-in-america-burden-by-race-ethnicity-executive-summary.pdf.

Nurmagambetov, Tursynbek, Robin Kuwahara, and Paul Garbe. “The Economic Burden of Asthma in the United States, 2008–2013.” Annals of the American Thoracic Society 15, no. 3 (March 2018): 348–56. https://doi.org/10.1513/AnnalsATS.201703-259OC.