2017 Georgia data summary: asthma in children

2017 GEORGIA DATA SUMMARY | ASTHMA IN CHILDREN

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways characterized by episodes of reversible breathing problems due to airway narrowing and obstruction. These episodes can range in severity from mild to life threatening1.

ASTHMA PREVALENCEa:

In 2016, the overall asthma prevalence among children in Georgia aged 0-17 years was 8.8%. Overall, 14.5% of children in Georgia had been told at some point in their lives that they had asthma. Differences in asthma prevalence existed by demographic characteristics.

Boys had a higher prevalence (10.9%) of asthma than girls (7.1%), but the difference is not significant.

Non-Hispanic Blacks had a significantly higher prevalence (13.6%) of asthma compared to nonHispanic Whites (6.3%).

Children of non-Hispanic origin had a slightly higher prevalence (9.2%) of asthma compared to those of Hispanic origin (6.8%), although it was not statistically significant.

Asthma prevalence was significantly higher among children whose family annual household income was less than $25,000 than among children from families whose family income is more than $75,000 (12.3% vs 6.1%). (Figure 1)

Figure 1. Prevalence of Asthma among Children
by Family Annual Income, Georgia, 2016


14

12.3

12

10

8.7

8

6.8

6.1

6

4

2

0
Less than
$25,000

$25,000$49,999

$50,000$74,999

$75,000 or more

Family Annual Income

Asthma-related hospitalization rate was higher among boys (130/100,000) than girls (79/100,000).
The overall asthma hospitalization rate was higher for black children (149/100,000) than white children (81/100,000). This trend was consistent across age groups (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Asthma-related Hospitalization Rate

Among Children by Race and Age Groups,

Georgia, 2016

250

235

White Black

202

200

146
150
103

100

80

50

39

44

16

0
0-4 yrs

5-9 yrs

10-14 yrs

15-17 yrs

Age

Rate per 100,000

ASTHMA EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED) VISITSc:
In 2016, there were 23,301 asthma-related ED visits among children 0-17 years of age in Georgia.
The overall asthma-related ED visit rate was 931 per 100,000 population.
The total charges for asthma-related ED visits among children amounted to more than $45.8 million.
Children 5-9 years of age had the highest asthmarelated ED visit rate of 1,238 per 100,000, however, dropped to 496 per 100,000 in children 15 to 17 years of age (Figure 3).

Prevalence (%)

ASTHMA HOSPITALIZATIONS:
In 2016, there were 2,618 asthma-related hospitalizations among children 0-17 years of age in Georgia.
Overall asthma-related hospitalization rate was 105 per 100,000 population.
The total charges for asthma-related hospitalizations among Georgia children in 2016 amounted to $32.1 million.
The asthma-related hospitalization rate among children decreased as age increased (Figure 2). Children aged 0-4 years had the highest hospitalization rate (175 per 100,000).

Rate per 100,000

Figure 3. Asthma-related ED Visits Rate Among Children by Race and Age Groups, Georgia, 2016

2500 2000 1500 1000
500 0

1,883 638 0-4 yrs

White Black
2,301

1,310
569 336

5-9 yrs

10-14 yrs

Age

856 255 15-17 yrs

The asthma-related ED visits rate was higher among males (1131/100,000) than among females (723/100,000). The overall asthma-related ED visits rate was over three times higher for black children (1661/100,000) than for white
children (465/100,000). This trend was consistent across all age-groups (Figure 3).
REGIONAL DIFFERENCES IN ASTHMA PREVALENCE, HOSPITALIZATION RATES, AND ED VISITs RATES: In Georgia, child asthma prevalence, hospitalization rates and ED visit rates differed by Public Health Districts (PHD).
From 2014-2016, three PHDs had the highest prevalence of children asthma. These were West Central (7), Southwest (82), South (8-1), and Clayton (3-3) with rates of 19.7%, 14.0%, 13.9%, and 10.4% respectively. (Map 1)
In 2016, South Central PHD had the highest asthma hospitalization rate among children 0-17 with a rate of 329 per 100,000. (Map 2)
In 2016, three PHDs with the highest asthma-related ED visits rates were Dekalb (3-5), East Central (6.0), and Cobb/Douglas (3.1), with rates of 1488, 1447, and 1236 per 100,000, respectively. (Map 3)

Map 1. Asthma Prevalence, Children 0-17 Years, by PHD, Georgia, 2014-2016

Map 2. Asthma Hospitalization, Children 0-17 Years, by PHD, Georgia, 2016

Map 3. Asthma ED Visits, Children 0-17 Years, by PHD, Georgia, 2016

Data Sources a. 2014-2016 Georgia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS)
b. 2016 Georgia Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data Hospitalization data are based on hospital discharge data for Georgia residents who were hospitalized in non-federal acute care hospitals with asthma as the primary diagnosis. In October of 2015, medical coding for inpatient hospital discharges changed from ICD-9 CM to ICD-10 CM. The ICD- 10 codes: J45 was used to select hospitalizations, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition.
c. 2016 Georgia Emergency Department Visit Data Emergency department (ED) visit data are based on Georgia residents who were seen in the ED of non-federal acute care hospitals in Georgia with asthma as the primary diagnosis. In October of 2015, medical coding for emergency room visits changed from ICD-9 CM to ICD-10 CM. The ICD- 10 codes: J45 was used to select ED visits, based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition.

Additional Definitions: Statistical Significance: In this report, estimates were considered statistically significantly different if the chi-square p-value was less than 0.05.
References
1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Respiratory Diseases. Healthy People 2020. Washington, DC. Accessed on 2/9/2013. Available at http://www.health.state.ga.us/pdfs/epi/cdiee/2012%20Asthma%20Surveillance%20Report.pdf.

Table 1. Asthma Prevalence among children by Public Health Districts from 2014 to 2016

DISTRICT

COUNTY

1-1 Northwest (Rome) 1-2 North Georgia (Dalton) 2 North (Gainesville)
3-1 Cobb/Douglas 3-2 Fulton
3-3 Clayton County (Jonesboro)

Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, Polk, Walker Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, Whitefield Banks, Dowson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White
Cobb, Douglas Fulton
Clayton

3-4 East Metro (Lawrenceville) 3-5 DeKalb 4 LaGrange 5-1 South Central (Dublin) 5-2 North Central (Macon)
6 East Central (Augusta) 7 West Central (Columbus) 8-1 South (Valdosta) 8-2 Southwest (Albany) 9-1 Coastal (Savannah) 9-2 Southeast (Waycross) 10-0 Northeast

Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale
DeKalb
Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, Upson
Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski, Telfair, Treutlen, Wheeler, Wilcox Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Hancock, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Washington, Wilkinson Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Wilkes Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Webster Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks. Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift, Turner
Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Bulloch, Candler, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Evans, Jeff Davis, Pierce, Tattnall, Toombs, Ware, Wayne
Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton

PREVALENCE
8.3% 11.7%
7.7% 10.0% 8.9%
10.4%
6.7% 11.6% 6.9% 6.1%
6.7%
9.2%
19.7% 13.9%
14.0% 9.1%
10.3% 9.5%

Table 2. Asthma Hospitalizations among children by Public Health Districts in 2016

District

County

1-1 Northwest (Rome) 1-2 North Georgia (Dalton) 2 North (Gainesville)
3-1 Cobb/Douglas 3-2 Fulton
3-3 Clayton County (Jonesboro)

Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, Polk, Walker Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, Whitefield Banks, Dowson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White
Cobb, Douglas Fulton
Clayton

3-4 East Metro (Lawrenceville) 3-5 DeKalb 4 LaGrange 5-1 South Central (Dublin) 5-2 North Central (Macon)
6 East Central (Augusta)
7 West Central (Columbus) 8-1 South (Valdosta) 8-2 Southwest (Albany) 9-1 Coastal (Savannah) 9-2 Southeast (Waycross) 10-0 Northeast

Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale
DeKalb
Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, Upson
Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski, Telfair, Treutlen, Wheeler, Wilcox Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Hancock, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Washington, Wilkinson Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Wilkes Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Webster Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks. Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift, Turner
Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Bulloch, Candler, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Evans, Jeff Davis, Pierce, Tattnall, Toombs, Ware, Wayne
Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton

Hospitalizations
58.6 49.7 51.2 114.8 87.0 118.5
93.3 185.0 73.8 329.1 152.7
143.9
135.7 117.8 92.9 143.3 67.1 75.6

Table 3. Asthma ED Visits among children by Public Health Districts in 2016

District

County

1-1 Northwest (Rome) 1-2 North Georgia (Dalton) 2 North (Gainesville)
3-1 Cobb/Douglas 3-2 Fulton
3-3 Clayton County (Jonesboro)

Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, Polk, Walker Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens, Whitefield Banks, Dowson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White
Cobb, Douglas Fulton
Clayton

3-4 East Metro (Lawrenceville) 3-5 DeKalb 4 LaGrange 5-1 South Central (Dublin) 5-2 North Central (Macon)
6 East Central (Augusta) 7 West Central (Columbus) 8-1 South (Valdosta) 8-2 Southwest (Albany) 9-1 Coastal (Savannah) 9-2 Southeast (Waycross) 10-0 Northeast

Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale
DeKalb
Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, Upson
Bleckley, Dodge, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski, Telfair, Treutlen, Wheeler, Wilcox Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Hancock, Houston, Jasper, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Washington, Wilkinson Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Wilkes Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Webster Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks. Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Tift, Turner
Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Bulloch, Candler, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Evans, Jeff Davis, Pierce, Tattnall, Toombs, Ware, Wayne
Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton

ED Visits
789.7 378.5 444.0 1,235.9 752.7 1,010.4
957.5 1,487.9 799.2 841.9 1,102.0
1,447.5
1,061.8 642.0 973.9 860.0 893.5 899.3