- In 2018, 278,000 American Indian/Native American adults reported that they currently have asthma.
- In 2018, American Indian/Alaska Native children almost twice as likely to ever have had asthma as non-Hispanic white children.
- In 2018, American Indians/Alaska Natives were 20 percent more likely to have asthma.
- Data on asthma conditions for American Indian/Alaska Natives is limited.
- While all of the causes of asthma remain unclear, children exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke exposure are at increased risk for acute lower respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis. Children living below or near the poverty level are more likely to have high levels of blood cotinine, a breakdown product of nicotine, than children living in higher income families.1
Diagnosed
| Percentage of asthma among persons 18 years of age and over, ever being told they had asthma, 2018 | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 14.9 | 14.2 | 1.0 |
Source: CDC 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-2a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm
| Percentage of adults ages 18 years and over who currently have asthma, 2018 | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 9.5 | 8.0 | 1.2 |
Source: CDC 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-2a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm
| Percentage of adults 18 years of age and over with asthma, 2004-2008 | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 14.2 | 11.6 | 1.2 |
* Source: CDC 2010. Health characteristics of the American Indian or Alaska Native adult population:
United States, 2004-2008, Table 4.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr020.pdf [PDF | 304.26KB]
Death Rate
| Deaths per 100,000, with asthma as the underlying cause, National Vital Statistics System, 2019 | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.6 |
Source: CDC 2021. CDC WONDER Online Database.
https://wonder.cdc.gov/ [Accessed 01/21/2021]
Treatment
The most recent National Health Interview Survey does not include data for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Children
| Age-adjusted percentage for children under 18 years of age, ever being told they had asthma, 2018 | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 17.8 | 9.4 | 1.9 |
Source: CDC 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table C-1a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm
| Age-adjusted percentage for children under 18 years of age, who currently have asthma, 2016 | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 17.8 | 7.0 | 2.5 |
Source: CDC 2021. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2016. Table C-1a.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/shs/tables.htm
| Asthma prevalence among children 0-17 years of age, 2003-2005 | ||
| American Indian/Alaska Native | Non-Hispanic White | American Indian/Alaska Native / Non-Hispanic White Ratio |
| 9.9 | 8.0 | 1.2 |
1* Source: CDC 2006. The State of Childhood Asthma, United States, 1980-2005. Table B.
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ad/ad381.pdf [PDF | 365KB]
* NOTE: This is the most recent national data which is available at this time.
Last Edited: 02/11/2021