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 Disparities in Asthma for African Americans
NOTES: This issue of A View of Asthma in Oregon focuses on disparities regarding asthma morbidity and mortality, rates of asthma hospitalization, and emergency department (ED) visits for asthma for African Americans. Currently, Oregon-specific data in these areas are limited, and therefore will not be presented in this report. Future issues will highlight Oregon data as they become available. Also, all rates are age-adjusted to the 2000 U.S. population
Although African Americans are only slightly more likely than whites to have asthma, they are three times more likely to have uncontrolled asthma that results in emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths. These poor outcomes are avoidable. With proper diagnosis, treatment and self-management, almost everyone with asthma can lead active, productive lives
While asthma is a disease that affects people of all races and ethnicities, significant racial disparities exist regarding health care utilization for asthma and the most severe consequences of asthma, such as ED visits, hospitalizations and deaths. 
As illustrated in Figure 1, in 1996 African Americans in the United States had only slightly higher self-reported asthma prevalence than whites (6.6 percent versus 5.4 percent) [a]. However, in 1998 and 1999, rates of ED visits, hospitalization, and deaths for asthma among African Americans were several times greater than those of whites and persons of other races, and cannot be fully explained by the slight difference in self-reported prevalence [b].
Despite many studies attempting to explain racial trends observed in asthma morbidity, mortality and health care utilization, there remains much about racial disparities and asthma that is not fully understood.
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