Asthma Severity among Children 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 60% of children with current asthma† have persistent asthma; 40% have intermittent asthma.
Intermittent and persistent asthma prevalence among children varied by state during the years 2006-2010, but did not follow a specific geographic pattern. Intermittent asthma prevalence ranged from 25.6% in Mississippi to 55.0% in Oregon (See table). Persistent asthma prevalence ranged from 45.0% in Oregon to 74.4% in Mississippi (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 – 204 KB] containing additional information.
| STATE | Intermittent Severity% | Persistent Severity% |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Total** | 39.7 | 60.3 |
| AZ | 33.0 | 67.0 |
| CA | 32.5 | 67.5 |
| CT | 40.5 | 59.5 |
| DC | 46.9 | 53.1 |
| GA | 36.4 | 63.6 |
| HI | 52.6 | 57.4 |
| IL | 46.4 | 53.6 |
| IN | 34.9 | 65.1 |
| IA | 43.5 | 57.5 |
| KS | 33.7 | 66.3 |
| LA | 36.4 | 63.6 |
| ME | 39.8 | 60.2 |
| MD | 38.6 | 61.4 |
| MA | 40.2 | 59.8 |
| MI | 39.7 | 60.3 |
| MS | 25.6 | 74.4 |
| MO | 37.0 | 63.0 |
| MT | 43.4 | 56.6 |
| NE | 34.9 | 65.1 |
| NH | 50.6 | 49.4 |
| NJ | 42.5 | 57.5 |
| NM | 43.6 | 56.4 |
| NY | 42.6 | 57.4 |
| ND | 34.8 | 65.2 |
| OH | 39.8 | 60.2 |
| OK | 39.3 | 60.7 |
| OR | 55.0 | 45.0 |
| PA | 47.2 | 52.8 |
| RI | 37.0 | 63.0 |
| TX | 39.5 | 60.5 |
| UT | 42.2 | 57.8 |
| VT | 42.5 | 57.5 |
| VA | 38.8 | 61.2 |
| WA | 53.3 | 46.7 |
| WV | 32.7 | 67.3 |
| WI | 43.7 | 56.3 |
** U.S. Total includes participating states (n=35) plus District of Columbia and excludes the three U.S. territories
