Significance

• According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAI), 34.1 million Americans suffer from asthma.
  
  

Direct Costs

• Asthma causes over 500,000 hospitalizations each year and 10.6 million visits to physicians reports the CDC and AAAI. The direct cost of asthma to society is $14.7 billion annually.
  
  

Indirect Costs

• In 2003, children missed 12.8 million school days due to asthma, while adults miss 10.1 million work days because of the condition, reports the AAAI. Losses to society related to lost time and productivity total $5 billion each year.
  
  

Potential

• The AAAI predicts that 100 million new cases of asthma in Americans by 2025, increasing the burden on society from the condition.
  
  

Prevention

• Just as asthma affects society, society has the potential to impact asthma by minimizing risks for developing the disease by limiting air pollution, promoting safe working environments free of potential hazards to the lungs, helping smokers quit, spreading awareness about the dangers of second-hand smoke and treating obesity.