Media Tip Sheets

New Research: Asthma Cases and Racial Disparities

Wednesday, December 11, 2024, By Ellen Mbuqe
The Lerner Center presents a new research brief on asthma prevalence in the United States.
Written by Ali Jones, a student at Syracuse University, and Marc A. Garcia, associate professor in the sociology department at the Maxwell School, this brief highlights Black-White disparities in asthma prevalence and demonstrates how living in unhealthy conditions results in a higher burden of asthma in Black communities.
Here is an overview of the brief but please contact Ellen James Mbuqe, executive director of media relations, at ejmbuqe@syr.edu to schedule interviews with the researchers.
Entitled:
Key Findings:
  • Racial and ethnic minorities have a higher prevalence of asthma in part due to poor living circumstances worsened by past housing segregation laws.
  • Living next to a major highway increases the risk of asthma, particularly among children, due to greater exposure to pollutants, such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ground-level ozone.
  • Economic and environmental barriers prevent people of color from receiving asthma care, leading to a disproportionate number of emergency room visits, subpar medical treatment, and increased mortality.
Summary:
  • Asthma is strongly associated with where we live. For example, living near a major highway increases the risk of developing asthma due to motor vehicle pollution. Poor environmental factors, such as pollution and lack of emergency room access, lead to a higher prevalence of asthma among Black individuals than White individuals. This brief highlights Black-White disparities in asthma prevalence and demonstrates how living in unhealthy conditions results in a higher burden of asthma in Black communities.