The gap between the proportion of black and white Americans with asthma who took an inhaled or oral medicine daily to prevent attacks grew wider between 2003 and 2006, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

There was no significant difference in the use of daily asthma medicine between the two groups in 2003—29% of black Americans compared with 30% of white Americans. By 2006, however, the proportion of blacks who reported taking daily asthma medicine had fallen to 25%, while 34% of whites reported taking it.

The AHRQ also found that the gap between Hispanic and white asthma sufferers who reported daily use of medicine also widened from 2003 to 2006. In 2003, approximately 28% of Hispanics and 31% of whites reported taking medicine daily for asthma. By 2006, the number of Hispanics decreased to 23%, while the number of whites taking daily asthma medication increased to 35%.

From 2003 to 2006, the gap in use of asthma medications closed between higher- and lower-income individuals who took asthma medications. And during the same period, the gap closed between people who did not finish high school and those with higher levels of education.

Source: Newswise