Asthma

This page provides data points and curated searches from OMH’s Knowledge Center library catalog related to asthma within minority and tribal populations in the United States and its territories. The number of catalog records for each topic reflect the search results at the time of this page’s latest update.

American Indian/Alaska Native

In 2021, 13.3% of American Indian/Alaska Native adults had asthma, the highest prevalence of any population.1 Overall, American Indian/Alaska Native children reported 42% more cases of asthma compared to children from the total population between 2019 - 2021.2 Data on asthma conditions for American Indian/Alaska Natives are limited. While all the causes of asthma remain unclear, children exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke exposure are at increased risk for acute lower respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis. Children living below or near the poverty level are more likely to have high levels of blood cotinine, a breakdown product of nicotine, than children living in higher income families.3

For additional data on asthma and American Indians/Alaska Natives, please visit our Population Profiles.

Asian American

From 2019–2021, an estimated 743,633 non-Hispanic Asian Americans in the United States had asthma.4 In 2024, Asian American adults had asthma at a rate that was 52% higher than adults of the total population.5 In 2021, non-Hispanic Asian Americans died from asthma at a rate that was 34% lower than the total population.6 In 2022, non-Hispanic Asian Americans comprised the smallest percentage (2.58%) of emergency department or urgent care clinic visits for asthma.7

For additional data on asthma and Asian Americans, please visit our Population Profiles.

Black/African American

From 2019–2021, there were an estimated 4.2 million non-Hispanic Black or African Americans in the United States who had asthma.8 In 2024, non-Hispanic Black or African American adults had a rate of asthma that was 14% higher than the total adult population.9 In 2024, non-Hispanic Black or African American children had a rate of asthma that was 60% higher compared to children of the total population.10 In 2021, non-Hispanic Black or African American children died of asthma 3.85 times more often than children of the total population.11

For additional data on asthma and Black or African Americans, please visit our Population Profiles.

Hispanic/Latino

In 2021, 3.9 million Hispanic/Latino Americans reported that they currently have asthma.12 In the adult population, Hispanic/Latino Americans visited the emergency department for asthma 5% less frequently than the total population in 2020.13 The largest prevalence of asthma in the Hispanic/Latino population is in children ages 5-14.14

For additional data on asthma and Hispanic/Latino Americans, please visit our Population Profiles.

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

National data for this population is limited. In 2024, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander adults had asthma at a rate that was 55% higher than the total population.15 In 2021, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders died from asthma at a rate that was 34% lower than the total population.16

For additional data on asthma and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders, please visit our Population Profiles.

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1 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

2 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

3 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

4 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

5 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of current asthma for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024. (Back)

6 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

7 HCUPnet, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Emergency Department Visits by Patient Race/Ethnicity, 2022. https://datatools.ahrq.gov/hcupnet?tab=emergency-department-setting&dash=44. (Back)

8 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

9 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of current asthma for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024. (Back)

10 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Children. Percentage of current asthma for children under 18 years, United States, 2024. (Back)

11 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

12 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)

13 CDC, 2023. Asthma: Healthcare Use Data 2020. Table A. Estimates for all populations were lower than the 2019 emergency department visit estimates because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Back)

14 CDC, 2021. National Health Interview Survey Data 2018. Table 4-1. (Back)

15 CDC. National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of current asthma for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2024. (Back)

16 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance, Most Recent National Asthma Data. (Back)