| Introduction:
Respiratory Diseases in Children | Asthma
|
Percentage of Children Having an Asthma Attack
in the Previous 12 Months |
Emergency Room Visits and Hospitalizations for Respiratory Diseases
Children who visit emergency rooms or are hospitalized for respiratory
diseases — such as asthma, upper respiratory infections, and
acute bronchitis — represent the most severe cases of respiratory
effects.
Only a fraction of children with respiratory diseases are admitted
to the hospital. Hospital admissions and emergency room visits for
respiratory diseases can be related to a number of factors besides
air pollution, such as lack of access to primary health care and
instructions for asthma management. Changes in hospital admissions
and emergency room visits over time may reflect changes in medical
practices, asthma therapy, and access to and use of care.28,29
There is extensive scientific evidence that exposure to air pollution
from outdoor and indoor sources can exacerbate existing respiratory
conditions.12-14 For
children with these conditions, exposure to air pollution can lead
to difficulty in breathing, increased use of medication, visits
to the doctor’s office, trips to the emergency room, and in
some cases admission to the hospital.30-33
For example, outdoor air pollution can cause asthma attacks in children,
which can lead to emergency room visits.8,9,34,35
A recent study found that increased ozone concentrations in the
summer were related to increased respiratory-related hospital and
emergency room visits for children under the age of two.19
Studies conducted in the northeastern United States indicate that
air pollution during the summer was associated with approximately
6-24 percent of all hospital admissions for asthma.36
Recent analyses also have suggested that exacerbation of asthma
from exposure to air pollution can be more severe among lower-income
people than in other populations.37,38
Data table for this graph
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- Emergency room visits for asthma and other respiratory causes
were 369 per 10,000 children in 1992 and 379 per 10,000 children
in 1999.
- Trends in individual causes of emergency room visits remained
fairly stable between 1992 and 1999. In 1999, hospitals reported
239 emergency room visits per 10,000 children for acute upper
respiratory infections, 104 visits per 10,000 children for asthma,
and 35 visits per 10,000 children for acute bronchitis.
- Data on children’s emergency room visits for asthma and
other respiratory causes by race and ethnicity are shown in the
data tables.
Related Measures:
Data table for this graph
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- Hospital admissions for asthma and other respiratory causes
were 55 per 10,000 children in 1980 and 66 per 10,000 children
in 1999.
- Hospital admissions for asthma alone increased from 21 per 10,000
children in 1980 to 29 per 10,000 children in 1999. Hospital admissions
for acute bronchitis increased from 16 per 10,000 children in
1980 to 29 per 10,000 children in 1999. Hospital admissions decreased
for acute upper respiratory infections from 18 per 10,000 children
in 1980 to 8 per 10,000 children in 1999.
- Asthma hospitalizations accounted for about 7 percent of all
hospitalizations for children aged 0-14 in 1999, and asthma was
the fourth leading cause of non-injury-related hospital admissions
in that year.39
- Acute bronchitis accounted for about 8 percent of all hospitalizations
for children aged 0-14 in 1999. Acute bronchitis was the third
leading cause of non-injury related hospital admissions in that
year.39
- Children aged 0-14 represented 40 percent of asthma hospitalizations
for all ages (children and adults) during 1999.39
- Children’s access to primary and preventive care also
plays a role in the number of hospitalizations.
- Data on children’s hospital admissions for asthma and
other respiratory causes by race and ethnicity are shown in the
data tables.
Related Measures:
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