Some populations are at increased risk because they suffer elevated exposure to indoor-air contaminants. In addition, there are populations who are at risk because they do not have access to health education or quality medical services, such as recent immigrants, the rural poor, and people with low literacy skills. If current patterns continue, an estimated 1.6 million African Americans who are now under the age of 18 will become regular smokers. About 500,000 of those smokers will die of a smoking-related disease. The occurrence of childhood asthma is three times as high in Puerto Rican children compared with non-Hispanic white children.
Black children are three times as likely as whites to be hospitalized for treatment of asthma.
The overall risk of becoming infected with tuberculosis in 1996 for Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States was almost 15 times that for whites. In 1998, the incidence rate of tuberculosis among Native Americans was 12.6 per 100,000 persons, more than five times that for non-Hispanic whites and nearly twice the risk of the general population. The American Lung Association s Minority Lung Disease Data is designed to provide statistics, background material and useful information for everyone involved in the fight against lung disease to help people breathe easier in the diverse communities we serve. We have chosen asthma, tobacco control and the environment as areas of special focus, because we believe they represent the most pressing challenges as well as the great promise of early conquest. The mission of the American Lung Association is to prevent lung disease and promote lung health.