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Increasing U.S. asthma mortality rates: who is really dying?
1Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch, Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects, National Center for Environmental Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
Summary
Asthma mortality increased significantly between 1979 and 1996, particularly in older adults. Efforts to reduce asthma deaths should focus on middle-aged and elderly women.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Asthma mortality rates in the U.S. have risen since 1979.
- Detailed examination of demographic subgroup changes in asthma mortality rates is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify demographic subgroups most responsible for the rise in U.S. asthma mortality between 1979 and 1996.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of death certificates specifying asthma as the underlying cause of death.
- Examination of age-adjusted and crude asthma mortality rates across demographic subgroups (race, sex, age).
Main Results:
- Blacks, females, and individuals aged 65+ experienced the largest increases in age-adjusted asthma mortality rates.
- Black females aged 65+ had the highest crude rates and largest increase, but white females aged 65+ contributed most to the overall age-adjusted increase due to population size.
- The primary driver of increased asthma mortality was the 65+ age group, with a slight reversal after 1989.
Conclusions:
- Asthma mortality trends disproportionately affect specific demographic groups, notably older adults.
- Interventions to reduce asthma mortality should prioritize middle-aged and elderly women, considering both race and age demographics.
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