Asthma in African American Boys
Asthma diagnoses and prevalence has been growing at an alarming rate in the United States. Asthma is a chronic disease that disrupts a person’s airways to the lungs leading to “wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing” and can affect daily life if not cared for properly (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011, p. 1). Since 2001, there has been a 1% increase in the amount of people diagnosed with asthma. In 2001, 7% of the population had asthma, or approximately one in 14 people. This number jumped in 2009 to 8%, or approximately one in 12 people (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Of those who had been diagnosed, 53% had an asthma attack in 2008, more commonly in children. Since children have smaller airways, asthma attacks are not only more common, but more dangerous than in adults (Medline Plus, 2012).
By 2009, one in 10 children were diagnosed with asthma (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). According to the Centers for Disease Control, “over 10 million U.S. children aged 17 years and under, have ever been diagnosed with asthma; 7 million children still have asthma” (Sondik et. al., 2011, p.12). While asthma is a nationwide problem affecting many populations of children, “the greatest rise in asthma rates was among black children by almost a 50% increase from 2001 through 2009” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Of these children, diagnoses of asthma were found more in boys than in girls (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). The National Center for Health Statistics reported that more African Americans children were hospitalized due to asthma per 100 persons than Caucasians as well as more deaths per 1,000 persons than Caucasians (Akinbami et. al., 2012). Among all children, “asthma is the leading cause for hospitalizations” (National Academy on Aging Society, 2000, p. 4).
Given that, more African American children are seeking treatment for their asthma at emergency rooms and are admitted into hospitals for observation when necessary, rather than seeking management treatment from a physician’s office. According to research, “lack of access to medical care, poverty, and delay in health-seeking behaviors” are some of the reasons behind why hospitalization for African Americans with asthma has risen since 2001 (Arfken et. al., 1995, p. 11).
References:
Akinbami, Lara J et al (2012). Trends in Asthma Prevalence, Health Care Use, and Mortality in the United States, 2001–2010. NCHS Data Brief, 94, 1-6.
Arfken Cynthia L et al (1995). Asthma Management in Minority Children. National Institute of Health, 96-3675, 11-12.
Asthma in Children (2012). Medline Plus. Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/asthmainchildren.html.
Asthma in the US: Growing Every Year (2011). Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Vital Signs. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/VitalSigns/Asthma/index.html.
Childhood Asthma: The Most Common Disease Among Children (2000). National Academy on an Aging Society, 8, 1-6.
