Health
Prevalence of Children with Asthma


Prevalence of Children with Asthma

What does this measure?

This measures the prevalence of asthma among children in grades K-8, as reported by schools to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Why is this important?

Asthma is a serious condition that inflames the lungs and airways, making it difficult for a child to breathe. It can be triggered by physical activity or environmental factors. Asthma causes physical and social challenges that result in a lowered potential for learning, fatigue, or an overall feeling of frustration. Children with asthma have lower attendance rates at school and visit the emergency room more frequently. Asthma is more common among certain populations, including low-income children and racial minorities, with lack of access to health care and substandard housing conditions thought to play a role.

How is our county doing?

In Essex County, 11% of children in grades K-8 had asthma in 2017, about the same as the state rate. Among local areas, the cities of Lawrence (17%) and Haverhill (16%), and Town of Saugus (13%) had the highest rates while the cities of Amesbury and Peabody, and towns of Essex, Hamilton, and Swampscott (all at 6%) had the lowest.

Since 2010, the rate of asthma among school children in Essex and the state was flat. Rates increased in the towns of Groveland and Rowley (up 6 percentage points to 11%).

How do we compare to similar counties?

Essex's rate was similar to that in Middlesex, which rose slightly from 10% in 2010 to 11% in 2017. Comparable data was not available for Lake, IL and Westchester, NY.

Notes about the data

School nurses gather this information annually from students' school health record, physician reports, and parent information forms. A variety of factors can impact asthma rates, including socioeconomic factors. Therefore, when comparing rates across geographic areas, information such as access to medical care must also be considered. The figures are not age-adjusted, so some of the differences may be due to differences in the age distribution of students in each community.

Prevalence of Children with Asthma
20102011201220132014201520162017
Essex County, MA11%11%11%11%12%11%11%11%
Amesbury8%10%8%9%8%7%6%6%
Beverly10%9%10%12%10%12%10%10%
Gloucester10%11%11%11%9%11%11%10%
Haverhill14%12%12%14%13%13%13%16%
Lawrence19%19%19%19%18%17%18%17%
Lynn11%12%13%13%14%13%13%12%
Methuen8%8%9%8%8%9%8%8%
Newburyport8%7%10%9%11%6%10%10%
Peabody8%7%9%10%8%7%7%6%
Salem11%12%11%9%11%12%12%12%
Andover12%10%11%10%10%11%10%11%
Boxford9%10%12%6%10%9%8%7%
Danvers12%12%8%11%12%8%10%10%
Essex6%7%6%6%6%5%8%6%
Georgetown6%6%7%5%7%7%7%8%
Groveland5%9%9%8%7%10%10%11%
Hamilton9%8%8%8%9%6%6%6%
Ipswich6%7%7%7%8%7%7%9%
Lynnfield7%7%9%9%10%11%10%11%
Manchester12%11%13%7%10%9%8%9%
Marblehead6%5%5%6%7%6%7%7%
Merrimac7%10%7%8%10%9%8%8%
Middleton10%11%12%9%11%10%10%11%
Nahant12%12%10%11%10%7%5%9%
Newbury5%5%7%7%7%7%6%8%
North Andover11%11%11%11%12%11%11%9%
Rockport12%9%14%14%14%11%11%12%
Rowley5%9%10%9%9%10%9%11%
Salisbury6%5%5%5%6%4%6%7%
Saugus11%12%13%12%12%12%13%13%
Swampscott9%10%12%8%10%9%8%6%
Topsfield11%10%9%8%10%8%8%7%
Wenham8%8%7%6%8%8%4%7%
West Newbury7%7%7%7%11%8%6%7%
Middlesex County, MA10%11%11%11%11%11%11%11%
Massachusetts12%12%12%12%12%12%12%12%

Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health




Number of of Children with Asthma
20102011201220132014201520162017
Essex County, MA9,2049,2709,6719,7559,8049,4419,4579,252
Amesbury143176149154137114106102
Beverly365325364427365404368372
Gloucester253291272264203243238209
Haverhill940819842936901873928992
Lawrence1,9771,9942,0452,1082,0641,9792,0911,950
Lynn1,1281,2771,4131,4631,5801,5851,5221,501
Methuen435447471458466489454407
Newburyport143125190184206126177182
Peabody401350436462379330322282
Salem386417413338388411444428
Andover536445487538466519470508
Boxford10612113570109958671
Danvers330325222282309201270247
Essex2129232324203426
Georgetown6572785774736474
Groveland4572776652737071
Hamilton9683808080605358
Ipswich861011061071099888110
Lynnfield110121144149158177162178
Manchester7773835375665761
Marblehead151144139170179147180189
Merrimac6279545866594746
Middleton1111181199611410396101
Nahant3737282925171120
Newbury3940534948473345
North Andover411422401400458411390337
Rockport6849797976606063
Rowley3462686157645764
Salisbury4538363838284248
Saugus269286320291273279305287
Swampscott15016219113315114411894
Topsfield9684746577636362
Wenham4540363039422334
West Newbury4346433758412833
Middlesex County, MA16,16716,49516,67716,97217,47517,18317,43317,213
Massachusetts80,44080,94882,54883,56885,36483,85484,23082,279

Source: Massachusetts Department of Public Health




INDICATORS TREND | ESSEX COUNTY
People 65 or Older Living Alone Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prevalence of Overweight Adults Not Applicable
Preterm Births Increasing
Infant Mortality Rate Maintaining
Children with Elevated Blood Lead Levels Decreasing
Children Living in Poverty Increasing
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Live Births to Teen Mothers Decreasing
Youth Arrests Decreasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Employment Maintaining
Tourism Spending Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Charitable Contributions Maintaining
Protected Land Not Applicable
Days with Good Air Quality Increasing
Beach Contamination Increasing
Daily Water Use per Resident Decreasing
Crimes Against People Maintaining
Crimes Against Property Decreasing
Drug-Related Arrests Maintaining
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Incarceration Rates Decreasing
Recidivism Decreasing
Households Without Vehicles Decreasing
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Traffic Injuries and Fatalities Maintaining
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age/Sex Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Households by Type Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Sex Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Increasing
Change in Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Median Earnings by Occupation by Gender Not Applicable
People Entering/Leaving County for Work Not Applicable
Employer Size Not Applicable
Self-Employment Revenue Increasing
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Increasing
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Female Enrollment in School Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
Per-Student Spending Increasing
Bullying Decreasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Income in Relation to Poverty Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Increasing
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Living Wage Rate by Household Type Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Increasing
Households Receiving Federal Food Assistance Increasing
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Earned Income Tax Credit Participation Decreasing
Economically Disadvantaged Students Increasing
Median Home Value Increasing
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Renting Increasing
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeless Persons Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Medical Care Expenses Increasing
Prevalence of Children with Asthma Maintaining
Prevalence of Overweight Children Maintaining
Diabetes Incidence Decreasing
Chronic Disease Among Older Adults Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Cancer Mortality Rate Decreasing
Heart Disease Mortality Rate Decreasing
Mortality Rate Decreasing
People who Smoke Not Applicable
Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Youth Use of Illegal Drugs Not Applicable
Substance Abuse Treatment Admissions Not Applicable
Drug Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Suicide Rate Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 Reading Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 English Language Arts Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 10 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Bachelor's Degree or Higher by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable