In 2024, non-Hispanic Black or African American adults had a rate of asthma that was 14% higher than the total adult population.1
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.2
In 2021, non-Hispanic Black or African American children died of asthma 3.85 times more often than children of the total population.3
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Occurrence
Adults
Current asthma among adults ages 18 and over, percentage, 2024
Asthma mortality among adults ages 18 and over, rate per million, 2021
Black*
Total Population
Ratio (Black* / Total)
29.7
13.1
2.27
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Most recent asthma data. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Children and Adolescents
Asthma mortality among children ages 0–17, rate per million, 2021
Black*
Total Population
Ratio (Black* / Total)
7.7
2.0
3.85
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Most recent asthma data. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Health Care Use
Adults
Emergency department visits with asthma as the first listed diagnosis in the past 12 months among adults ages 18 and over, rate per 10,000 population, 2020
Black/African American Alone
Total Population
Ratio (Black / Total)
80.6
27.8
2.90
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Asthma: Healthcare use data 2020 (Table A). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Hospital inpatient stays with asthma as the first listed diagnosis among adults ages 18 and over, rate per 10,000 population, 2020
Black
Total Population
Ratio (Black / Total)
6.5
2.6
2.50
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Asthma: Healthcare use data 2020 (Table B). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Children and Adolescents
Emergency department visits with asthma as the first listed diagnosis in the past 12 months among children ages 0–17, rate per 10,000 population, 2020
Black
Total Population
Ratio (Black / Total)
89.5
36.4
2.46
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Asthma: Healthcare use data 2020 (Table A). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Hospital inpatient stays with asthma as the first listed diagnosis among children ages 0–17 years, rate per 10,000 population, 2020
Black
Total Population
Ratio (Black / Total)
8.6
3.6
2.39
Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Asthma: Healthcare use data 2020 (Table B). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
