New Report: 382,000 Adults in Upstate New York Have Asthma

The economic impact of asthma in upstate New York is estimated to be $149 million annually

ROCHESTER, NY (04/07/2008)(readMedia)-- One in 10 adults in upstate New York has asthma — a disease that if not managed properly could lead to crippling health problems, hospitalizations and even death, according to a new report by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield.

The report details which adults in upstate New York have a greater chance of having asthma: Hispanics, adults making less than $15,000 annually and 18 to 24 year olds. Women are slightly more likely to have asthma than men.

The report, “Adults with Asthma in Upstate New York,” also shows:

  • About 17,000 adults in upstate New York were hospitalized because of asthma between 2003 and 2005.
  • Asthma costs the upstate New York economy $149 million annually in excess health care costs and lost productivity.
  • In upstate New York, 163 adults died of asthma between 2003 and 2005.
  • Adults in the Southern Tier region have the highest asthma rate (13.2 percent), and the Central New York region the lowest (8.3 percent).
  • The upstate New York asthma rate (10.1 percent) was slightly higher than the New York state rate (8.5 percent).

“People who have asthma must take steps to properly manage their condition or risk asthma attacks that could hurt their quality of life and land them in the hospital,” said Robert J. Holzhauer, M.D., vice president and chief medical officer for Excellus BCBS.

“We want to remind people with asthma of the health risks associated with skipping their medication or not making other moves such as avoiding asthma triggers,” added Holzhauer, who is a board-certified allergist and immunologist.

In fact, about six in 10 asthma patients try to avoid taking medication whenever possible, according a 2007 telephone survey of adults published in the report “Asthma G.A.P. in America: General Awareness and Perceptions.” The survey was conducted on behalf of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company that makes drugs to treat asthma.

Asthma also takes an economic toll on upstate New York, increasing health care costs and hurting productivity.

“People with asthma who properly manage their disease aren’t just improving their health; they’re also doing what they can to avoid costly hospitalizations that contribute to the rising costs of health care,” Holzhauer said.

To access the full report, go to http://www.excellusbcbs.com and click on “Public Policy & Research” and “Fact Sheets.”

For more information on asthma, go to:

  • American Lung Association: http://www.lungusa.org
  • Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: http://www.aafa.org

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, a nonprofit independent licensee of the BlueCross BlueShield Association, is part of a family of companies that finances and delivers vital health care services to 2 million people across upstate New York. Excellus BlueCross BlueShield provides access to high-quality, affordable health coverage, including valuable health-related resources that our members use every day, such as cost-saving prescription drug discounts and wellness tracking tools in our Step Up program. To learn more, visit https://www.excellusbcbs.com.

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