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, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (NHPI) adults were 55% more likely than U.S. adults overall to have asthma.
- In 2021, Asian and Pacific Islander adults were 34% less likely than U.S. adults overall to die from asthma.
Additional Resources
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Further Reading
Occurrence
Adults
| Current asthma among adults ages 18 and over, percentage, 2024 | ||
|---|---|---|
| NHPI | Total Population | Ratio (NHPI / Total) |
| 13.3 | 8.6 | 1.55 |
Mortality
Adults
| Asthma mortality among adults ages 18 and over, rate per million, 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Asian/NHPI* | Total Population | Ratio (Asian/NHPI* / Total) |
| 8.6 | 13.1 | 0.66 |
*Population is non-Hispanic in the data source.
1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). National Center for Health Statistics. Interactive Summary Health Statistics for Adults (Back to top)
2 CDC, 2022. Data, Statistics, and Surveillance. Most Recent Asthma Data | Asthma Data | CDC (Back to top)
Date Last Reviewed: January 2026