title: Assessing asthma severity among children and adults with current asthma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma severity is a key indicator to assess asthma care and management. Severity status may vary over time. Assessing asthma severity periodically is important for monitoring the health and well-being of people with asthma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess population-based asthma severity and to identify related-risk factors among children and adults with asthma.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the 2006-2010 BRFSS child and adult Asthma Call-back Survey. Asthma severity was classified as intermittent or persistent. We performed multivariate logistic regression to identify related-risk factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 63.8% of persons with asthma had persistent asthma. Persistent asthma was more prevalent among children aged 0-4 years (71.8%; prevalence rate ratio [PR] = 1.3). Among adults with current asthma, persistent asthma was more prevalent among those who were 45 years or older (aged 45-54: 69.4%; PR = 1.1, aged 55-64: 72.6%; PR = 1.2, and aged 65+: 77.8%; PR = 1.3); annual household incomes of <$15 000 (74.1%; PR = 1.1); and first diagnosed at age 55 years or older (first diagnosed at age 55-64: 80.4%; PR = 1.1, at age 65 + : 81.5%; PR = 1.1). The prevalence of persistent asthma was also higher among current smokers who were also exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) (74.7%; PR = 1.1); and among those with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) (77.1%; PR = 1.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly two-thirds of children and adults with asthma had persistent asthma. Identifying related-risk factors could help improve targeted interventions or strategies to reduce modifiable predictors (low income, smoking, and SHS) of increased asthma severity. Such strategies could improve asthma care and quality of life.
authors: Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, GA , USA.
authors: Hatice S
authors: HS
authors: Zahran
authors: Cathy M
authors: CM
authors: Bailey
authors: Xiaoting
authors: X
authors: Qin
authors: Jeanne E
authors: JE
authors: Moorman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D057805:Pets; D015995:Prevalence; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000453:epidemiology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution
keywords: Asthma control; current asthma; demographic characteristics; intermittent asthma; low income; persistent asthma; risk factors