Asthma and asthma-related health care utilization among people without disabilities and people with physical disabilities.
Previous research has shown that people with disabilities have higher rates of some chronic diseases and receive poorer disease-specific care than their counterparts without disabilities. Yet, little is known about the relationship between asthma and disability.



This study examines whether differences in the prevalence of asthma, asthma flare, and asthma-related measures of health care quality, utilization and cost exist among people with physical limitations (PL) and without any limitations.



Data from the 2004-2010 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were pooled to compare outcomes for working-age adults (18-64) with PL to those with no limitations.



People with PL had higher rates of asthma (13.8% vs. 5.9%, p < 0.001) and recent asthma flare (52.6% vs. 39.6%, p < 0.001) than people without limitations. There were no differences in health care quality, utilization or cost between people with PL and people without limitations in multivariate analyses.



Although there are no differences in asthma-related quality or utilization of health care, people with PL have poorer asthma control than people without limitations. Research is needed to determine what factors (e.g., focus on other acute ailments, perceptions that asthma control cannot improve) are related to this outcome. Future research must also examine differences in asthma severity, and its impact on asthma control and health care-related outcomes, among people with and without disabilities.
Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive Suite 101, Durham, NH 03824, USA. Electronic address: michelle.l.stransky@gmail.com.
Michelle L
ML
Stransky
Department of Health Management and Policy, Hewitt Hall, University of New Hampshire, 4 Library Way, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Robert
R
McGrath
Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive Suite 101, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Amanda
A
Reichard
Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive Suite 101, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Monica
M
McClain
Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive Suite 101, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Kimberly G
KG
Phillips
Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive Suite 101, Durham, NH 03824, USA; Department of Economics, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics, University of New Hampshire, 10 Garrison Avenue, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Andrew
A
Houtenville
Institute on Disability, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive Suite 101, Durham, NH 03824, USA; Department of Health Management and Policy, Hewitt Hall, University of New Hampshire, 4 Library Way, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
Charles E
CE
Drum
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D055815:Young Adult
Asthma; Health care quality; Health care utilization; Persons with disabilities; Physical limitations