Asthma is tied to many factors related to air quality, including the level of ozone and particle pollution in the air. Climate change can increase air pollution and other factors that exacerbate asthma in a number of ways. Warmer air increases the formation of ground-level ozone or "smog." Warmer temperatures are leading to longer and more potent pollen seasons, which may increase allergies. Increasing and widespread wildfires, which contribute to unhealthy outdoor air, are tied to climate change. Extreme weather events related to climate change, such as storms and flooding, can leave behind mold and spread toxic chemicals.

In 2018-20, significant disparities by race and ethnicity continued to exist in asthma hospitalizations in our region. Comparative data is only available for three regional counties, due to proportionally small non-White population in most regional counties. In all counties with data, the White population has the lowest rate of asthma hospitalizations by race/ethnicity, while rates for Black and Latino populations are significantly higher.

In Monroe County, the White population has the lowest rate of asthma hospitalizations, at 2.6 per 10,000, and Black and Latino residents were roughly eight times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma conditions. The Asian/Pacific Islander rate of asthma hospitalization was about 30% higher than the White rate. Rates of Black and Latin hospitalizations were higher than rates for New York State.

In Wayne County, Black residents were five times as likely, and Latino residents about twice as likely, to be hospitalized for asthma as White residents. The Latino hospitalization rate was lower than the rate for New York State, while the Black hospitalization rate was about the same.

In Genesee County, Black residents were about four times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than White residents. This rate was lower than the rate for New York State.

Racial and ethnic health disparities across a wide range of outcomes are tied to historical discrimination and structural deprivation suffered by communities of color. In addition to higher prevalence of asthma, rates of hospitalization and deaths are higher among Black and Latino populations, due in part to the condition being poorly controlled, sometimes resulting from inadequate access to primary care. Since asthma disproportionately affects communities of color in New York State, federal agencies such as the EPA project that these communities will be the most impacted if climate change continues to worsen conditions. In a 2021 report, the EPA states that Black and African American individuals in the United States are 34% more likely to live in areas with the highest projected increases in childhood asthma diagnoses due to climate-driven changes in particulate air pollution.

A regional figure is not available for this indicator. All rates are age-adjusted.