| Health Status > Children
ASTHMA
Asthma is a disease in which the airways become
blocked or narrowed. It is triggered by allergies or other factors,
and symptoms include wheezing, chest tightness, and shortness of
breath. In 2003, almost 8 percent of children in the United States
were affected by asthma. This includes all children whose parents
reported that a doctor ever told them the child had asthma and that
the child still has asthma, and children who, in the past year,
used asthma medication, had moderate or severe difficulties combined
with an attack, or had been hospitalized for asthma.
In 2003, males were more likely to be affected
by asthma than females (9.2 versus 6.6 percent). A greater proportion
of children ages 6 to 11 years and 12 to 17 years were affected
by asthma (8.8 and 8.7 percent, respectively) than children from
birth to age 5 (6.2 percent). Non-Hispanic Black children were most
likely to be affected by asthma, while Hispanic children were least
likely to be affected. Children with lower family incomes were more
likely to be affected than children with higher family incomes.
The effects of asthma also vary by insurance
status. Children with public insurance were more likely to be affected
by asthma than children with private insurance (10.6 versus 7.2
percent); of children with no insurance, 5.0 percent were affected
in the ways described above. It is important to note that uninsured
children may be less likely to have access to doctors and prescription
drugs, which may affect whether parents report that their child
has been affected by asthma.
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Bar Chart: Children Aged 0-17 Years Affected by
Asthma, by Race/Ethnicity: 2003
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Bar Chart: Children Aged 0-17 Years Affected by
Asthma, by Family Income: 2003
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