Surveillance for asthma--United States, 1980-1999.

Since the previous report in 1998 (CDC. Surveillance for Asthma--United States, 1960-1995. MMWR 1998;47[No. SS-1]:1-28), changes in asthma-associated morbidity and death have been limited. Asthma remains a critical clinical and public health problem. Although data in this report indicate certain early indications of success in current asthma intervention programs (e.g., limited decreases in asthma hospitalization and death rates), the continued presence of substantial racial disparities in these asthma endpoints highlights the need for continued surveillance and targeted interventions.