Hispanic/Latino Health

Asthma and Hispanic Americans

  • In 2021, 3.9 million Hispanics reported that they currently have asthma.
  • Puerto Rican Americans had twice the asthma rate as compared to the overall Hispanic population in 2018.
  • Between 2016 and 2018, Hispanics were almost twice as likely to visit the emergency department for asthma than non-Hispanic whites.
  • Puerto Rican children are three times as likely to have asthma than non-Hispanic white children.

Prevalence

Current asthma among adults age 18 and over, percentage, 2023
Population Non-Hispanic WhitePopulation / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
All Hispanic7.09.20.8
Mexican6.29.20.7
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults. Percentage of current asthma for adults aged 18 and over, United States, 2019–2023.
Adults age 18 and over who have ever been told they have asthma, percentage, 2018
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men9.612.20.8
Women13.216.20.8
Both Sexes11.514.20.8
Source: CDC, 2019. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-2a.
Adults age 18 and over who currently have asthma, percentage, 2018
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Men3.45.90.6
Women8.510.00.9
Both Sexes6.08.00.8
Source: CDC 2019. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table A-2a.

Death Rate

Asthma mortality among adults age 18 and over, rate per million, 2021
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
7.811.80.7
Source: CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance. Most Recent National Asthma Data.

Treatment

Prevalence of emergency department/urgent care visits with asthma as the first listed diagnosis in the past 12 months among all ages with current asthma, percentage, 2016–2018
HispanicWhiteHispanic / White Ratio
16.58.61.9
Source: CDC, 2021. Asthma Surveillance – United States, 2006–2018. Supplementary Table 13.
Hospital admissions for asthma among adults ages 18–39, rate per 100,000 population, 2020
Hispanic, all racesNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic, all races / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
14.915.41.0
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report. Data Query. https://datatools.ahrq.gov/nhqdr
People with current asthma who are now taking preventive medicine daily or almost daily, percentage, 2020
Hispanic, all racesNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic, all races / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
32.833.81.0
Source: AHRQ. National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query. https://datatools.ahrq.gov/nhqdr

Children

Current asthma among children under 18 years of age, percentage, 2019–2021
PopulationNon-Hispanic WhitePopulation / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Hispanic5.95.51.1
Mexican5.25.51.0
Source: CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance. Most Recent National Asthma Data.
Children under 18 years of age who currently have asthma, age-adjusted percentage, 2018
PopulationNon-Hispanic WhitePopulation / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Hispanic8.05.61.4
Mexican7.05.61.3
Source: CDC, 2019. Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey: 2018. Table C-1a.
Current asthma prevalence among children under 18 years of age, percentage, 2018
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Boys8.26.21.3
Girls7.85.01.6
Both Sexes8.05.61.4
Source: CDC, 2019. National Health Interview Survey Data 2018. Table 4-1.
Current asthma prevalence among children age 18 and under, percentage, 2018
PopulationNon-Hispanic WhitePopulation / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Hispanic8.05.61.4
Puerto Rican17.05.63.0
Mexican6.95.61.2
Source: CDC, 2019. National Health Interview Survey Data 2018. Table 4-1.
Hospital admissions for asthma among children ages 2–17, rate per 100,000 population, 2020
Hispanic, all racesNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
24.616.61.5
Source: AHRQ. National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Reports. Data Query. https://datatools.ahrq.gov/nhqdr.
Asthma mortality among children ages 0–17, rate per million, 2021
HispanicNon-Hispanic WhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
1.41.01.4
Source: CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance. Most Recent National Asthma Data.
The proportional impact of asthma prevalence, health care use, and mortality among children 0–17 years of age, by race and ethnicity, percentage, 2003–2005
HispanicWhiteHispanic / Non-Hispanic White Ratio
Current prevalence (2004–2005)90921.0
Emergency department visit rate (2003–2004)109661.7
Death rate (2003–2004)69501.4
Source: CDC, 2006. The State of Childhood Asthma, United States, 1980–2005. Table VIII.

Last Edited: 02/13/2025