Asthma affects millions of Americans each year, resulting in emergency room visits, hospitalizations, missed school/work, and some deaths. Children are particularly impacted, accounting for 44% of asthma-related hospitalizations. It is a leading cause of school absences and the fourth leading cause of work absenteeism. While proper treatment and trigger control can help asthmatics lead normal lives, many lack knowledge about managing their condition. This document outlines asthma statistics and provides an overview of common triggers before introducing a training module to help newly diagnosed asthmatics, their loved ones, and others recognize attacks and provide initial assistance.

1. How to Handle Asthma

3. 
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44,000 Americans suffer an asthma attack
36,000 kids miss school due to asthma
27,000 adults miss work due to asthma
4,700 people go to the emergency room
because of asthma
1,200 people are admitted to the hospital
because of asthma
9 people die from asthma
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

4. 
Children account for 44% of asthma-related
hospitalizations
 Asthma is the third leading cause of
hospitalization in children under the age of 15

Asthma is the number one chronic cause of
missed school days among children per year
 14 million days

It is estimated that asthmatic children spend
about 8 million days a year restricted to a bed
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

5. 
Asthma is the fourth leading cause of work
absenteeism
 10 million days each year
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

6. 
2 million trips to the emergency room (EPA)

15 million physician and outpatient visits
(EPA)

479,000 hospitalizations (AAFA)
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3,300 deaths (AAFA)

7. 
Asthma death rates have increased by more
than 50%

The death rate for Americans under the age
of 19 has increased by about 80%
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America

8. With a 48% increase in asthma
cases in the past 10 years, there
is no better time than now to
take action

9. As an asthmatic from a family of six – all of whom are
also asthmatic – this issue hits extremely close to
home. This year alone, asthma attacks have placed
me in the hospital on four different occasions. A
couple of months ago, my sister, who was the last in
my family to be diagnosed, had an attack. There is
nothing like knowing that at any moment the
habitual breath that so many people take for granted
may be the last for me or my loved ones.

10. Asthma is a scary disease, but with
proper medical treatment and
control of triggers, asthmatics can
lead completely healthy and
normal lives

11. 
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In 2008, more than half of asthmatics
reported that they had not been taught how
to avoid triggers
48% of adults who were taught ignored the
advice
American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunolog

12. This training module!
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These statistics show that even asthmatics
often lack enough knowledge to effectively
cope with the disease
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This training module will focus on how to deal
with asthma

13. 
Too many people are unprepared and will
either overreact or underreact when an
asthmatic is having trouble
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Thus, everyone can benefit from having at
least a minimum understanding of what
asthma is, what the most common asthmatic
triggers are, and how to deal with the onset
of an asthma attack

14. 
“rookie” asthmatics
 individuals who have not been taught how to handle their asthma
correctly
 newly diagnosed asthmatics
 greatest need for knowledge about asthma

loved ones of asthmatics
 closest to the issue
 first line of defense in the case of prevention and management
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any layperson interested in learning to recognize an asthma
attack and help in such an event
 “first responders” if an asthmatic has an attack
▪ Important to know the initial steps to take while emergency responders are on
the way