Asthma

Asthma is a common long-term condition that can affect people of all ages.

The risk of developing asthma is linked to genetics, but it can be linked to other causes, such as work place exposures. Asthma can begin in childhood but can also start in adulthood. It is a disease that causes inflammation in the airways causing symptoms such as wheeze, cough and breathing difficulties. It is often linked with allergies and many people experience it alongside other conditions such as hay fever.

“An open accessible resource based on global evidence containing reliable data is much needed in this post-covid era. Spreading true information is the best way to support physicians, scientists and patients to reduce burden of this treatable chronic airway disease.” Robab Breyer-Kohansal, Clinic Hietzing, Vienna, Austria.

Asthma in numbers

 

in 2019 in the WHO European region

The charts below present data from GBD studies to provide a uniform evaluation of the state of lung health. To find out more about how this data is put together, visit the methodology page. All charts are freely available to download by clicking the three dots in the top right hand corner. Please reference Lung Facts when sharing.

  • Europe: the big picture
  • Incidence rate
  • Incidence numbers
  • Prevalence rate
  • Prevalence numbers
  • Mortality rate
  • Mortality numbers
  • Years of life lost (YLL) rate
  • Years of life lost (YLL) numbers
  • Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rate
  • Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) numbers
  • Monetised DALYS – societal cost for whole population in international dollars
  • Monetised DALYS – societal cost per 100,000 people in international dollars