Who Gets Asthma?

In the United States, about 15 million people of all age, race, and nationality have asthma.

Asthma can occur at any age but is more common in children than adults.

Nearly 1 in 13 school-age children has asthma, and that rate is rising more rapidly in preschool-aged children than in any other group. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to a chronic illness.

The impact of asthma falls disproportionately on African-American and certain Hispanic populations and appears to be particularly severe in urban inner cities.

Many cases of asthma likely go undiagnosed.