title: Racial and ethnic disparities in current asthma and emergency department visits: findings from the National Health Interview Survey, 2001-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Racial/ethnic disparities in current asthma prevalence and medical care are a major public health concern. We examined the differences in asthma prevalence and morbidity among major racial/ethnic populations in the US.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from the 2001-2010 National Health Interview Survey for adults (≥18 years) and children and adolescents (<18 years). Outcome variables were current asthma prevalence, at least one attack in the past 12 months, and at least one asthma-related emergency department/urgent care center (ED/UCC) visit in the past 12 months. We used multivariate logistic regression to calculate the model-adjusted prevalence and risk ratios (ARR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our study, 9.0% of the children and 7.2% of the adults had current asthma. Non-Hispanic black and Puerto Rican children were more likely to have current asthma (ARR 1.46, 1.66, respectively) and to visit the ED/UCC (ARR 1.61, 1.67, respectively) than non-Hispanic whites. American Indian/Alaskan Native children were more likely to have current asthma (ARR 1.76) than non-Hispanic whites. Mexican/Mexican American children and adults had lower prevalence of current asthma but higher ED/UCC use (adults only) than non-Hispanic whites. Among adults, Puerto Ricans and American Indian/Alaskan Natives were more likely to have current asthma (ARR 1.60, 1.39, respectively) than non-Hispanic whites, and all the studied racial/ethnic groups except Asians were more likely to have visited the ED/UCC than non-Hispanic whites. Adults and children who received emergency care for asthma in the past 12 months more frequently received multiple components of asthma management and control (e.g., taking long-term medication, having an asthma management plan) compared to those without emergency care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Racial/ethnic differences in current asthma prevalence, asthma attacks, and increased utilization of emergency room visits for asthma among minorities persist among children and adults. Appropriate and effective asthma management and education may lead to better asthma control and reduce emergency care utilization.
authors.affiliation: Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. eoraka@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Emeka
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oraka
authors.forename: Shahed
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iqbal
authors.forename: W Dana
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Flanders
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Brinker
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Garbe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D013997:Time Factors
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1995 Jan;95(1 Pt 1):34-41
references.pmid: 7822662
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Aug;122(2):319-21
references.pmid: 18678342
references.citation: J Asthma. 2005 Dec;42(10):807-12
references.pmid: 16393716
references.citation: Ambul Pediatr. 2008 Mar-Apr;8(2):89-97
references.pmid: 18355737
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 1998 Mar 9;158(5):457-64
references.pmid: 9508223
references.citation: Vital Health Stat 10. 2009 Dec;(242):1-157
references.pmid: 20821903
references.citation: Chest. 2007 Nov;132(5 Suppl):789S-801S
references.pmid: 17998343
references.citation: MMWR Surveill Summ. 2007 Oct 19;56(8):1-54
references.pmid: 17947969
references.citation: J Health Soc Behav. 2008 Jun;49(2):131-45
references.pmid: 18649498
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 2007 Sep 24;167(17):1846-52
references.pmid: 17893305
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2008 Oct;122(4):760-9
references.pmid: 18829799
references.citation: Vital Health Stat 2. 1999 Jul;(126):1-119
references.pmid: 10495692
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 2001 Jul 9;161(13):1660-8
references.pmid: 11434799
references.citation: Chron Respir Dis. 2006;3(1):29-37
references.pmid: 16509175
references.citation: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 1998 Aug;158(2):371-7
references.pmid: 9700109
references.citation: Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000;(2):CD001005
references.pmid: 10796580
references.citation: Chest. 2004 Apr;125(4):1359-67
references.pmid: 15078746
references.citation: LDI Issue Brief. 2003 Nov-Dec;9(3):1-4
references.pmid: 14959726
references.citation: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2011 Jan 15;183(2):195-203
references.pmid: 20802165
references.citation: Ethn Health. 2009 Oct;14(5):527-52
references.pmid: 19533477
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2006 Apr;117(4 Pt 2):S145-51
references.pmid: 16777830
references.citation: NCHS Data Brief. 2012 May;(94):1-8
references.pmid: 22617340
references.citation: Int J Nurs Stud. 2005 Mar;42(3):307-13
references.pmid: 15708017
references.citation: Med Care. 1999 Jan;37(1):5-14
references.pmid: 10413387
references.citation: Thorax. 2000 Jul;55(7):566-73
references.pmid: 10856316
references.citation: MMWR Surveill Summ. 2002 Mar 29;51(1):1-13
references.pmid: 12420904
references.citation: Eur Respir J. 2008 May;31(5):990-7
references.pmid: 18216062
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2008 Nov;122(5):994-1002
references.pmid: 18977978
references.citation: Chest. 2003 Sep;124(3):803-12
references.pmid: 12970001
references.citation: Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2012 May 15;185(10):1033-5
references.pmid: 22589306
references.citation: Chest. 2007 Nov;132(5 Suppl):810S-817S
references.pmid: 17998345
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2008 Mar;121(3):575-86
references.pmid: 18310208
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 2008 Aug 11;168(15):1705-10
references.pmid: 18695087
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2008 Aug;122(2):313-8
references.pmid: 18538382
references.citation: J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2010 Mar;125(3):575-81
references.pmid: 20226293
references.citation: Annu Rev Public Health. 2005;26:89-113
references.pmid: 15760282
references.citation: Pediatrics. 2003 May;111(5 Pt 1):e615-21
references.pmid: 12728120