This indicator shows the average annual age-adjusted emergency room visit rate due to asthma per 10,000 population aged 18 years and older.

Asthma is a condition in which a person's air passages become inflamed, and the narrowing of the respiratory passages makes it difficult to breathe. Asthma is one of the most common long-term diseases of children, but it also affects 15.7 million non-institutionalized adults nationwide. 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, 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.