The rates of ED visit and hospitalization, for which asthma is the primary diagnosis, are known to be an indicator of poorly controlled asthma.  While the rate of ED visit among Hispanics has steadily decreased since 2009, the ED visit rate in 2019 (115.2 per 10,000 population) is nearly 5 times higher than those of non-Hispanic whites (24.6 per 10,000 population). The rates are lower in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are cautious of those rates and not making any conclusion before we have more normalized data.

Healthy People 2030 objective for ED visit rate is to reach 64.3 per 10,000 population among children under 5 years of age and 40.2 per 10,000 population among people 5 years and over. More efforts are still needed to reduce ED visits among Hispanics. Prior target of 152.1 per 10,000 population was achieved, and new target set at 123.5 per 10,000 population for 2014.

Data Notes: Since October 1, 2015, all causes of emergency department (ED) visit are classified according to the ICD-10-CM classification system.  The ICD-9-CM coding system was used for ED visits occurring before October 1, 2015.  The cause of ED visit classifications before 2015 are not directly comparable to classifications for 2016 or later.  In addition, the classifications for calendar year 2015 are not directly comparable to either time periods because of the mix of codes used during this year.

These data are current as of February 2023. New data are expected by fall of 2023.

Connecticut State Department of Education, Connecticut School Nurses Association, Connecticut Hospital Association, local public health departments, health professional associations, health care providers, community health centers, school-based health centers.

The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program- Expert Panel Report 3(NAEPP EPR-3) Guidelines strongly emphasizes the importance of:

• asthma assessment and management education to health providers
• ensuring communication and linkages between health providers
• the use of an asthma action plan
• the referral to a community partner

• Communicate and educate on the burden of asthma to multiple audiences and through different modalities
• Develop community outreach and education messages about ways to control asthma
• Promote, in partnership with the Connecticut Hospital Association, the continuum of asthma care of residents with asthma in the Community, by educating hospital providers and staff about best practice for asthma management and, by providing an Asthma Action Plan to all discharged patients
• Work with community partners, to implement home-based interventions to identify and remove environmental triggers and provide self-management education
• Improve asthma control among Connecticut Residents through community education and outreach
• Offer asthma education resources translated in Spanish