|
|
 |
JACI Highlights - June 2008
Improved Overall Trends but Persistent Racial Disparities in Emergency Department Visits for Acute Asthma, 1993-2005
Adit A. Ginde, MD, MPH, Janice A. Espinola, MPH, and Carlos A. Camargo Jr., MD DrPH
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases and affected nearly 22 million Americans in 2005. Over the past two decades, the incidence of asthma has increased three-fold. Acute asthma episodes account for approximately 2 million emergency department (ED) visits annually, with yearly costs for chronic and acute asthma care reaching $18 billion. In a study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Ginde et al report on an analysis of data collected in the 1993-2005 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey which they used to study trends in acute asthma care episodes and sectors of the population utilizing ED care for asthma. The researchers found that in the 12 year period studied, 6.7 out of every 1000 persons seen in an ED were there for treatment of acute asthma. From 1993-1998, ED visits for treatment of acute asthma episodes showed an upward trend, but rates have stabilized in recent years and appear to even be declining. The data indicate that the asthma epidemic may have reached a plateau overall, suggesting that the care provided for chronic and acute asthma is improving. In their analysis, the authors also learned that while the rates for asthma-related ED utilization by whites were declining, those for blacks remained stable and were 4-5 times higher than whites in recent years. Rates were also highest for children under 10 years of age, women Hispanics, and people visiting EDs in the Northeastern U.S. This indicates unexplained and possibly widening disparities that remain problematic and need further investigation.
<back>
|
