Asthma is a long-term condition that affects the lungs. It is common in children, but adults can have asthma too. People with asthma have the condition all the time, but asthma attacks usually appear only when something irritates their lungs. An asthma attack can cause coughing, tightness in the chest, wheezing, and trouble breathing. These symptoms happen in the airways, which are the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs. During an asthma attack, the airways swell, tighten, and are clogged by mucus. This makes it harder for air to move in and out of the lungs. Common things that can trigger asthma symptoms include secondhand smoke, dust mites, air pollution, cockroaches and other pests, pets, and mold.
- In 2024, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adults were 19% more likely than U.S. adults overall to currently have asthma.
- From 2019 to 2021, AI/AN children under age 18 were 42% more likely than U.S. children overall to have asthma.
Additional Resources
MedlinePlus
National Institutes of Health
Further Reading
Occurrence
Adults
| Current asthma among adults ages 18 and over, percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| AI/AN | Total population | Ratio (AI/AN / Total) |
| 10.2 | 8.6 | 1.19 |
| Adults ages 18 and over who have ever been told they have asthma, percentage, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|
| AI/AN* | Total Population | Ratio (AI/AN* / Total) |
| 14.9 | 13.6 | 1.10 |
Children and Adolescents
| Current asthma among children under 18 years of age, percentage, 2019-2021 | ||
|---|---|---|
| AI/AN* | Total Population | Ratio (AI/AN* / Total) |
| 9.2 | 6.5 | 1.42 |
| Children under 18 years of age ever having asthma, percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| AI/AN | Total Population | Ratio (AI/AN / Total) |
| 13.8 | 9.7 | 1.42 |
*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
Date Last Reviewed: January 2026