Asthma
Facts and Figures
In Chicago, the childhood asthma rate has been reported to be on average 13%; however, the burden is unequally distributed, with 20% of Black children compared to 10% of White children affected. Puerto Rican children have also been found to have high asthma rates, at approximately 20%. Humboldt Park has the city's largest Puerto Rican community and a high percentage of African American families and has identified asthma as a significant problem. The Sinai Improving Community Health Survey found that as many as 1 in 3 children in Humboldt Park may have asthma, a rate which far exceeds the city average of 13%.
Risk Factors*
- Having a blood relative (such as a parent or sibling) with asthma
- Having an allergic condition, such as atopic dermatitis or allergic rhinitis (hay fever)
- Being overweight
- Being a smoker
- Exposure to secondhand smoke
- Having a mother who smoked while pregnant
- Exposure to exhaust fumes or other types of pollution
- Exposure to occupational triggers, such as chemicals used in farming, hairdressing and manufacturing
- Low birth weight
Symptoms*
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness or pain
- Trouble sleeping caused by shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing
- An audible whistling or wheezing sound when exhaling (wheezing is a common sign of asthma in children)
- Bouts of coughing or wheezing that are worsened by a respiratory virus such as a cold or the flu
Links
Mayo Clinic - Asthma
Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago
American Lung Association in Greater Chicago
CommunityHealth Clinic
Erie Family Health Center
HealthCare Alternative Systems (HAS)
Sinai Health System
Chicago Asthma Consortium
*Information obtained from the Mayo Clinic Asthma webpage
If you would like more information about the work of the Asthma Task Force, or to join, please contact the task force chair, Maureen Damitz: Mdamitz@cchil.org