This indicator shows the percentage of adults who have ever been told by a health care provider that they have asthma.

Asthma is a condition wherein a person's air passages become inflamed, and the narrowing of the respiratory passages makes it difficult to breathe. Symptoms can include tightness in the chest, coughing, and wheezing. These symptoms are often brought on by exposure to inhaled allergens (like dust, pollen, cigarette smoke, pollution, and animal dander) or by exertion and stress. There is no cure for asthma, but for most people, the symptoms can be managed through a combination of long-term medication prevention strategies and short-term quick relievers. In some cases, however, asthma symptoms are severe enough to warrant hospitalization, and can result in death. In 2009, the CDC estimated that 17.5 million noninstitutionalized adults had been diagnosed with asthma nationwide.