Asthma prevalence, health care use, and mortality: United States, 2005-2009.

This report presents recent data on asthma prevalence and health care use. Additional data on school and work absences and asthma management practices are also presented. Where possible, differences are examined by age, sex, race or ethnicity, geographic region, poverty status, and urbanicity.

Data from the National Health Interview Survey, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, the National Hospital Discharge Survey, and the National Vital Statistics System were used to calculate national estimates. The most recent data available from each system are presented, and 3-year annual averages are used to increase the reliability of estimates for subgroups where necessary.