Trends in asthma-related paediatric mortality

Isabel J Hardee1, Michael C Monuteaux2, Robert M Hoffmann2

  • 1Emergency Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital Department of Pediatrics, Boston, Massachusetts, USA isabel.hardee@childrens.harvard.edu.

Thorax
|April 29, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Paediatric asthma mortality rates remained stable from 1999-2023. However, asthma deaths were higher in males, older children, and Black children, indicating a need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Mortality Trends
  • Asthma Epidemiology
  • Public Health Surveillance

Background:

  • Asthma is a significant cause of death in children.
  • Understanding temporal trends in pediatric asthma mortality is crucial for public health.
  • Existing data on long-term trends in pediatric asthma deaths require further analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze trends in pediatric asthma-related mortality in the US.
  • To examine demographic disparities in pediatric asthma mortality.
  • To identify specific age, sex, and racial groups with higher asthma mortality.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional analysis of US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) WONDER data.
  • Data spanned from 1999 to 2023.
  • Negative binomial regression used to assess temporal trends and group differences.

Main Results:

  • A total of 5357 pediatric asthma deaths were recorded.
  • The overall pediatric asthma mortality rate was stable at 3 per 1,000,000 children.
  • Mortality rates were higher among males, children aged 10-19 years, and Black children compared to white children.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric asthma mortality rates have remained stable over the study period.
  • Targeted interventions are needed to address disparities in asthma mortality among Black children.
  • Future advancements in pediatric asthma treatment should focus on reducing mortality and improving outcomes for vulnerable populations.

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