Asthma Incidence, Prevalence, and Mortality in the United States and Worldwide, 1990-2019: Findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study

Asthma is a serious global health issue, contributing to premature deaths and reduced quality of life. This study examines trends in the incidence, prevalence, and mortality of asthma in the US and globally from 1990 to 2019. Data from the Global Burden of Disease database were used to calculate age-standardized incidence (ASIR), prevalence (ASPR), and mortality (ASMR) rates per 100,000 individuals, stratified by gender. Joinpoint regression analysis determined annual percent changes (APCs), and average annual percentage changes (AAPCs) were calculated as weighted averages of these trends. In the US, ASIR increased by 10.2%, rising from 1404.6 in 1990 to 1547.2 in 2019, with an overall AAPC of 0.33. Globally, ASIR decreased by 13%, declining from 580.1 to 504.3, with an overall AAPC of -0.46. ASPR in the US rose from 9374.0 to 10399.3, reflecting a 0.37% annual increase, whereas globally, ASPR dropped by 24.1%, decreasing from 4496.9 to 3415.5 with an overall AAPC of -0.91. Females consistently exhibited higher ASPR rates than males in both settings. US asthma mortality decreased by 50%, with ASMR dropping from 1.66 to 0.87 and an AAPC of -2.15. Globally, ASMR decreased by 51.3%, falling from 11.91 to 5.80, with an overall AAPC of -2.47. Males globally showed higher ASMR, whereas in the US, females had higher rates. While asthma incidence and prevalence increased in the US, global rates declined. Both the US and global populations experienced substantial reductions in asthma-related mortality, highlighting the need for targeted interventions and international collaboration.