Asthma Severity among Adults with Current Asthma

Asthma severity determines type and duration of treatment

Percentage with Persistent Severity

Asthma severity^* is the inherent intensity of the disease process. Disease progression and symptoms vary among individuals and within an individual’s experience over time. The population-based asthma severity prevalence estimate depends on whether the individual is treated or not and how well the individual responds to the treatment. Intermittent severity includes people who are well-controlled without long-term control medication. Persistent severity includes people who are on long-term control medications and people with uncontrolled asthma (not well-controlled or very poorly controlled) who are not on long-term control medication. Nearly 65% of adults with current asthma^† have persistent asthma; 35% have intermittent asthma.

Intermittent and persistent asthma prevalence among adults varied by state during the years 2006-2010, but did not follow a specific geographic pattern. Intermittent asthma prevalence ranged from 23.6% in Alabama to 43.5% in Utah (See Table). Persistent asthma prevalence ranged from 56.5% in Utah to 76.4% in Alabama (See map for details).

^*National Asthma Education and Prevention Program Expert panel report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma, 2007. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.pdf [PDF – 3.88 MB]. ^†Includes persons who answered “yes” to the questions: “Have you ever been told by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional that you had asthma?” and “Do you still have asthma?”

Source: Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS)—Adult Asthma Call-back survey Data, 2006-2010

Download this AsthmaStats Factsheet [PDF – 180 KB] containing additional information.