Asthma hospitalisations in children aged 0–14 years increased by more than 50% in 2021

Asthma, LRTI and meningococcal topic

We have recently published the latest results from our Asthma hospitalisation factsheet. Here are the main findings.

  • Asthma hospitalisations in children aged 0–14 years increased by more than 50% in 2021 after a substantial drop the previous year.
  • Asthma hospitalisations declined after COVID-19 lockdown periods in 2020 and 2021.
  • Children aged 0–4 years have had the highest asthma hospitalisation rate since 2001. They had 13 times the rate of asthma as children aged 10–14 years.
  • Pacific children had three times the rate of asthma than European/Other children.
  • Children living in the most deprived areas (NZDep 2018 quintile 5) had twice the rate of asthma as children living in the least deprived areas (quintile 1).