Vital Signs: Asthma in children

Asthma medication use among children with asthma in 2013.

Percent (%) of children with asthma who use medicine

More than half (55%) of children with asthma used control medication.

Twenty-five percent (25%) of children with asthma did not use control medication regularly as prescribed.

Thirty percent (30%) of children with asthma used control medication regularly as prescribed.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of children with asthma used rescue medication.

SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, 2013. http://bit.ly/2xkU0GA

Asthma-related hospitalizations and missed school days were fewer in 2013 than in 2003.

Children who were hospitalized  for asthma
Percent (%) hospitalized, ages 0-17 years
In 2003,  10% of children with asthma were hospitalized.
In 2013,  5% of children with asthma were hospitalized.

Children with asthma who missed school days
Percent (%) missing school, ages 5-17 years
In 2003, 61% of children with asthma missed school days.

In 2013, 49% of children with asthma missed school days.

SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, 2003 and 2013. http://bit.ly/2xkU0GA

Average annual medical costs of asthma were nearly $1,000 per child in 2012.

SOURCE: http://bit.ly/2rtljBe

Healthcare provider asthma education of children in 2013.

In 2013, healthcare providers reported providing the following asthma education to children with asthma:

Given advice on environmental control  – 46%

Given an action plan – 51%

Taught to recognize early signs and symptoms of an asthma attack – 76%

Taught how to best respond to an asthma attack – 80%

SOURCE: National Health Interview Survey, 2013. http://bit.ly/2xkU0GA