Basic Asthma Facts

  • Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways
  • Adult women have higher asthma rates than adult men
  • Adolescent boys have higher asthma rates than adolescent girls
  • Following a written asthma plan leads to better asthma management
  • Having asthma in NOT the same as having allergies
  • There is no cure for asthma
  • Asthma can be managed and people with asthma can live happy productive lives

In the U.S.

  • Children lose over 14 million school days each year due to asthma
  • Adults lose almost 15 million work days each year due to asthma
  • There are over 4,000 deaths due to asthma each year
  • There are almost 2 million emergency room visits for asthma each year
  • Asthma is estimated to cost 16.1 billion dollars annually

In Maine

  • One in nine Mainers currently has asthma, that's more than 140,000 people
  • Poorly controlled asthma contributes to roughly 5,300 emergency department visits per year
  • Poorly controlled asthma leads to approximately 425 hospitalizations per year
  • Poorly controlled asthma leads to about 13 deaths per year