asthma in canada: stats, impact and resources
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as many as 465,000 people living with asthma have severe asthma, including more than 45,000 children under 19.
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asthma can affect anyone at any time, and it doesn’t go away. it’s a chronic lung disease that causes inflammation and tightening of the airways which makes it difficult to breathe. it’s a struggle you can’t ignore. people with asthma live with the uncertainty of when symptoms like coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest will happen. there are a number of triggers that can be hard to stay one step ahead of: allergens, smoke, exercise, and cold air.
how prevalent is the disease? there are 4.6 million people living with asthma in canada, but only one in two have their condition under control. that’s when it becomes extremely dangerous, causing severe illness, hospitalizations, and, tragically, for 300 families living with asthma, death of family member, says patient-driven health charity asthma canada.
when it comes to treatments, there have been notable advancements over the last two decades, moving the management of severe asthma from inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators to more precise, targeted approaches. a january 2025 review of the science in annals of allergy, asthma and immunology found that biologic medications for hard-to-treat severe asthma have improved symptoms and reduced flareups, improving quality of life. now researchers and pharmaceutical companies are investigating novel therapies that target different aspects of asthma pathophysiology. innovative treatments like inhaled biologics, ultra–long-acting biologics, and combination biologics are in development.
asthma stats in canada
let’s start with kids. asthma is the most common chronic disease among children. in fact, the disease disproportionately affects children and youth. the public health agency of canada references surveillance data from 2011-12, noting the proportion of children and youth living with diagnosed asthma was on average 62 per cent greater than the proportion of adults, including seniors, diagnosed with the disease. during childhood and teen years, asthma is more common among boys than girls (18 per cent vs. 13 per cent), but for adults, women are more affected than men (11 per cent vs. eight per cent).
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numbers from asthma canada highlight the following:
- 317 canadians are diagnosed with asthma every day.
- asthma is a major reason why kids are hospitalized.
- asthma is canada’s third most common chronic disease.
- as many as 465,000 people living with asthma have severe asthma, including more than 45,000 children under 19. severe asthma is defined as continued symptoms that get worse and lead to frequent attacks among those who take multiple asthma medicines with a high degree of compliance and trigger management. severe asthma is particularly challenging to treat because it is resistant to standard therapies.
- asthma is 40 per cent more prevalent among first nations, inuit, and metis communities than in the general population.
- the province with the highest case numbers is ontario.
- there are 80,000 visits to emergency rooms each year because of asthma attacks.
as well, asthma canada’s recent national survey of more than 1,400 respondents gives a glimpse into what it’s like to live with asthma:
nearly half of respondents (46 per cent) said they have occasionally skipped or neglected their asthma management because of the high cost of medications or devices.
many insurance carriers do not offer comprehensive coverage to asthma patients, making it prohibitive for them to gain control of their asthma, so they’re vulnerable to flareups and living with constant stress of when symptoms will worsen.
asthma also harms mental health, with 92 per cent experiencing stress related to their asthma, 64 per cent felt isolated, stigmatized, or lonely because of the disease, and one in two said they felt embarrassed about using their inhaler in public.
uncontrolled asthma is debilitating for daily life: 81 per cent of respondents said their asthma has undermined their ability to perform at work, school, or home. nearly nine in 10 experienced shortness of breath, 78 per cent had disrupted sleep, and 46 per cent missed work or school because of asthma-related challenges.
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uncontrolled asthma comes with serious risks: 72 per cent said they used their rescue or reliever inhaler two or more times per week. this is considered a warning sign of uncontrolled asthma, based on international global initiative for asthma guidelines.
overreliance on a reliever inhaler is associated with a higher risk of asthma attacks and death. a 2014 review of asthma deaths in the u.k. recommended that children and adults should have an urgent check-up if they are prescribed more than 12 asthma reliever inhalers in a year.
one in five survey respondents said they used their reliever inhaler three or more times per day.
impact of asthma on canadian society
with the estimated cases of uncontrolled asthma, a life-long disease, the stakes are high in terms of impacting people and their families, the healthcare system and the economy. the biggest number? $4.2 billion is the expected cost of asthma to the economy by 2030 annually.
as the asthma canada survey demonstrates, asthma affects quality of life. to start, there continues to be a stigma of being weak or sickly that has kids and adults downplaying the disease and feeling self-conscious about using their inhaler. the disease is the leading cause of absenteeism from school and one of the leading causes of work loss through both absenteeism and presenteeism (where you show up but don’t perform at your best).
the direct costs of asthma, including hospitalization, healthcare professional services and medication and indirect costs, including decreased productivity, are estimated at $2.1 billion annually. again, that number is predicted to balloon to $4.2 billion by 2030—in just five years.
resources and support for asthma in canada
the leading associations representing asthma are:
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experts say connecting with a professional support organization is an important starting point to learning more about managing asthma, connecting with others who live with similar challenges, and understanding what steps to take for controlled asthma and quality of life.
may is asthma awareness month. for more information, visit asthma canada.
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