Health Topics

Asthma is a chronic disease of the airways or tubes that carry oxygen in and out of the lungs. The inside of the tube can become swollen or inflamed. The muscles of the tubes can also tighten during an ‘asthma attack’, causing further inflammation. This can cause wheezing, coughing, or shortness of breath.

Asthma cannot be cured, but it can be controlled. Controlling asthma is important. Taking asthma medications as prescribed and avoiding asthma triggers can help a person with asthma avoid an ‘asthma attack”. Asthma that is not well managed results in emergency room visits, hospitalizations, loss of school and work days, and a reduced quality of life.

Approximately, 20 million persons in the United States have asthma. In Rhode Island, an estimated 89,689 adults and 25,222 children, over 10% of Rhode Island’s population, currently have asthma. For more information on the burden of asthma in Rhode Island click here.

Prevalence

An estimated 89,689 Rhode Island adults currently have asthma, which makes up 11% of the Rhode Island population ages 18 and older.
An estimated 25,222 Rhode Island children currently have asthma, which is 12% of the Rhode Island population 0 to 17 years of age.

Health Care Use

In 2004, the asthma hospitalization rates by age group were as follows:

18 to 44 year olds: 7 per 10,000
45 to 64 year olds: 13 per 10,000
65 and older: 18 per 10,000

In 2004, the pediatric asthma hospitalization rate was 21 per 10,000.

Asthma Control Program

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