Asthma Prevalence among Athletes in an Urban Adolescent Population

To identify individuals at risk of asthma by assessing the prevalence of asthma in an urban, athletic adolescent population using preparticipation physical evaluation (PPE) data.

Using the Athlete Health Organization (AHO) PPE data from 2016 to 2019, asthma prevalence was collected by reported diagnosis in the history or physical. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed to characterize the relationship between asthma and social factors such as race, ethnicity, and income. Control variables such as age, body mass index, blood pressure, sex, and family history were also collected.

Over 2016-2019, 1,400 athletes ranging from 9 to 19 years of age had completed PPEs (Table 1). A large percentage of student-athletes were found to have asthma (23.4%), of whom a majority 86.3% resided in low-income zip-codes. Additionally, 65.5% of athletes with asthma identified as Black, with race being associated with asthma prevalence (p < 0.05). Demographic factors like income, age, and gender were not significantly associated with asthma prevalence.

Self-identified Black individuals reported higher prevalence of asthma when compared to the general population. Identifying factors like race and income that place adolescent athletes at risk of asthma is a key step to understanding the complex relationship between asthma and social determinants of health. This work advances the conversation for establishing best practices for serving vulnerable populations, as seen in this urban population of children with asthma.