Regional distribution of deaths from asthma

Data from the National Center for Health Statistics indicate rates of death from asthma at 5-34 years of age in the USA in 1980 were .166 per 100,000 general population for whites and .914 for blacks. Rates for blacks were higher in the Northeast (1.313) and North Central Region (1.179) than in the West (.905) and South (.659). The rate for whites was higher in the West (.263) than in the Northeast (.180), South (.149), or North Central Region (.108). During 1981-84 rates remained higher for blacks in the Northeast and North Central Regions than other regions and higher for whites in the West than elsewhere. Most deaths from asthma at 5-34 years of age from 1979-84 in the USA occurred at hospitals (70% of blacks, 77% of whites for the 40 states reporting this detail on death certificates). Rates of discharge from hospitals after admission for the treatment of asthma at 5-34 years of age have also been much higher for blacks than for whites from 1979-86. These rates have been highest in the Northeast and North Central Region for both blacks and whites. Accordingly, neither failure to reach a hospital nor lack of hospitalization can account for regional and racial differences in asthma mortality rates. Median household incomes have been lower for blacks than whites, and unemployment rates have been higher for blacks than whites. From 1980-84 unemployment rates for blacks were highest in the North Central Region. Economic factors may account in part for racial and regional differences in mortality from asthma.