In 2004, over fourteen million adults and six million children in the United States had asthma. A disproportionally large number of these asthmatics were African-American. According to ALA calculations of data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), in 2004, African-Americans had an 11.5% higher prevalence of asthma than whites (American Lung Association 2007). While African-Americans represent only 12.1% of the population of the United States, they represent 25% of the asthmatic deaths. In 2007, African-American children were nearly four times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than white children (US Department of Health and Human Services, 2007). African-Americans also have higher rates of death due to asthma than whites,
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Women, in the Jackson Heart Study were found to have a higher prevalence of asthma than men (Hickson et al., 2009). This disparity was attributed to higher amounts of stress, worse perceived general health, and lower education attainment, which could be factors of low SES (Hickson et al., 2009). In looking at mortality rates from asthma in the U.S., Grant et al. found that African-Americans had higher asthma related mortality than whites, that low education led to higher asthma mortality than higher education, and that low income was associated with higher asthma mortality than higher income (Grant, Lyttle, & Weiss, 2000). The previous study showed that black race/ethnicity was associated with higher asthma mortality, independent of SES (Grant et al., 2000); yet, Grant et al. concluded that both black race/ethnicity and low SES were independently associated with high asthma mortality (Grant et al., 2000). Smith et al. have also shown a potential for SES being associated with asthma in African-Americans (Smith, Hatcher-Ross, Wertheimer, & Kahn, 2005). African-American children have a greater risk of asthma than white children, but only among the very poor, showing that environmental factors, such as SES, have a greater impact on asthma than genetics (Smith et al.,
Women, in the Jackson Heart Study were found to have a higher prevalence of asthma than men (Hickson et al., 2009). This disparity was attributed to higher amounts of stress, worse perceived general health, and lower education attainment, which could be factors of low SES (Hickson et al., 2009). In looking at mortality rates from asthma in the U.S., Grant et al. found that African-Americans had higher asthma related mortality than whites, that low education led to higher asthma mortality than higher education, and that low income was associated with higher asthma mortality than higher income (Grant, Lyttle, & Weiss, 2000). The previous study showed that black race/ethnicity was associated with higher asthma mortality, independent of SES (Grant et al., 2000); yet, Grant et al. concluded that both black race/ethnicity and low SES were independently associated with high asthma mortality (Grant et al., 2000). Smith et al. have also shown a potential for SES being associated with asthma in African-Americans (Smith, Hatcher-Ross, Wertheimer, & Kahn, 2005). African-American children have a greater risk of asthma than white children, but only among the very poor, showing that environmental factors, such as SES, have a greater impact on asthma than genetics (Smith et al.,