Important Facts for Diagnosed Adult Asthma Prevalence
Indicator Important Facts Report Options
Definition
The estimated proportion of New Mexico adults with diagnosed asthma. Weighted Survey Data. The percentages reported above have been produced by weighting the sample so that the results better represent the New Mexico population. The sample sizes reported in the table are unweighted. Percentages calculated using the unweighted sample sizes will not be accurate. The confidence bounds are asymmetric. They do not extend evenly above and below the percentage, especially as the percentage gets close to 0% or 100%.
Numerator
LIFETIME PREVALENCE: Estimated number of adult (i.e., 18 and older) New Mexicans who responded, "yes" (within the survey year) to the BRFSS question: "Have you ever been told by a doctor that you have asthma?" CURRENT PREVALENCE: Estimated number of adult (i.e., 18 and older) New Mexicans who responded, "yes" (within the survey year) to the BRFSS question: "Do you still have asthma?"
Denominator
Number of adult (i.e., 18 and older) New Mexicans in a specified population who responded to the BRFSS within the survey year.
Why Is This Important?
Asthma is one of the common chronic diseases in New Mexico, with an estimated 175,000 adults currently having the disease. People with asthma are more likely to miss school or work, report feelings of depression, and experience an overall reduced quality of life. Asthma is also costly, with expenses from routine checkups, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and medications putting a significant burden on families, the health care sector, and the economy. Though it cannot be cured, asthma can be controlled through quality health care, appropriate medications, and good self-management skills. When asthma is controlled, people with the disease have few, if any, symptoms, and can live normal and productive lives. Asthma is frequently diagnosed in childhood. Sometimes asthma symptoms may go dormant for a number of years only to return later in adulthood. Given this complexity, two prevalence measures are helpful in assessing the disease burden: Lifetime prevalence (if an individual has ever been diagnosed as having asthma) and Current prevalence (if the individual reports he or she still has asthma).
How Are We Doing?
Since 2000, the lifetime and current adult asthma prevalence rates in New Mexico had been increasing, but since 2016, there has been a decreasing trend.
How Do We Compare With the U.S.?
In 2021, the New Mexico lifetime adult asthma (i.e., ever had asthma) prevalence rate (14.0%) was similar to the U.S. rate (14.6%). During this same time period, the New Mexico current adult asthma (i.e., currently have asthma) prevalence rate (10.6%) was higher than the U.S. rate (9.7%).
What Is Being Done?
The New Mexico Department of Health Asthma Control Program collects, analyzes, and disseminates asthma data in order to identify populations that have high burden of asthma. The Asthma Control Program also works with partners throughout the state (such as hospitals, physician groups, insurance plans, and schools) to design and implement health interventions to lessen the disease burden. Current interventions include providing asthma self-management education to pediatric patients, supporting indoor air quality assessments of homes to limit exposures to potential asthma triggers, and offering provider training on the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) asthma medical guidelines.
Evidence-based Practices
Asthma and its symptoms can be controlled and related impairments or hospitalizations can be prevented. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the NAEPP of the National Institutes of Health-National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute have issued guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. These guidelines translated advances in scientific and clinical research into practical advice for people with asthma, for the health care providers who look after them, and for the communities where they live.
Health Program Information
Asthma Control Program, New Mexico Department of Health, P.O. Box 26110, 1190 St. Francis Drive, Suite N1300, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Srikanth Paladugu, MBBS, MPH, MBA, Environmental Health Epidemiology Bureau Chief, (505) 476-3549 (M,W,F); (505) 841-5893 (T,Th), Paladugu, Srikanth, DOH <Srikanth.Paladugu@state.nm.us>.