Asthma, a serious lung disease, is a leading cause of long-term illness in children. In Kentucky, 10.6% of children 11 years old and younger, 13.6% of middle school students, 11.8% of high school students and 18.6% of adults have asthma. While asthma can affect anyone at any age, it is more common among black people. In Kentucky, 13.9% of black people have asthma compared to 8.2% of white people.
Additionally, black people are twice as likely to die from asthma-related illness as white people.