Asthma up in Conn., but reasons why are elusive

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut public health officials say asthma is increasing in the state but it's not clear why.

The state Department of Public Health says in a recent report that the number of adults with asthma increased by 17.9 percent between 2000 and 2010, and rose 7.6 percent among children between 2005 and 2010.

The report, "The Burden of Asthma in Connecticut," says 89,300, or 11.3 percent, of Connecticut children from birth to 17 years old had asthma in 2010. The national rate for children is 9.4 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Since 2000, asthma rates in the state have been higher than nationally.

Eileen Boulay, a registered nurse and asthma program manager for the state Health Department, said that's true of all the New England states.

She said asthma could be more prevalent because of Connecticut's older housing or numerous highways, but can't otherwise explain the higher rate of the chronic respiratory disease that affects millions of Americans.

"If you ask me why, I can't give you a reason," she told The Hartford Courant.

The cost of hospital care for asthma was nearly $113 million in 2009. Of that, public insurance paid for 74 percent of asthma hospitalizations and 60 percent of emergency department visits, the report said.

Among adults in Connecticut, 9.2 percent have asthma, while the national rate is 8.2 percent.

The report also said 50 deaths in Connecticut in 2009 were related to asthma. Nationally, 3,388 fatalities were reported in the same year.

In addition, New Haven had the highest rate of asthma-related hospitalizations, with 65 per 10,000 people. Hartford had 35 per 10,000 hospitalizations, while New Hartford in western Connecticut had only 2 per 10,000 people.