It's Asthma Awareness Month and the Illinois Department of Public Health is urging those affected to make sure they take steps to manage their condition.
About 14 percent of Illinoisans suffer from asthma. Over the last 20 years, Illinois has had one of the nation's highest asthma mortality rates. Public health spokesperson Sabrina Miller says that's why it's so important to know what affects your asthma. Miller also reminds that kids can now carry a prescribed inhaler at school with their parent's permission. The annual economic cost of asthma, including direct medical costs from hospital stays and indirect costs such as lost school and work days, amounts to more than $56 billion annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
May is Asthma Awareness Month
