Respiratory disease is one of the biggest killers in the United Kingdom, encompassing diseases such as lung cancer and asthma. The
in 2020 was 130 deaths per 100,000 population for men and 89 per 100,000 for women. Diseases of the respiratory system can be especially dangerous for older people during winter.
among over 75-year olds in England and Wales in the winter of 2019/20. Approximately a sixth of adults aged between 75 and 79 years in
.
Prevalence of asthma
One of the most common respiratory diseases is asthma, a condition which currently has no cure, but it can usually be controlled with appropriate treatment. Asthma can also result in asthma attacks when symptoms of the condition become extremely bad and this is potentially fatal. In England in 2018, 18 percent of women and 17 percent of men
were living with asthma, with
equivalent figures for Scotland being very similar. Furthermore, 12 percent of boys aged 16 years of age and 7 percent of girls in
England had been diagnosed with asthma. It is possible, though, that children ‘grow out’ of asthma as they become slightly older.
Lung cancer
There were approximately 40 thousand new
cases of lung cancer diagnosed in England in 2019, with more registrations recorded for men than for women. The
rate of lung cancer registrations has been dropping for men since 1995, while women have experienced a rise in cases. The
mortality from this cancer has also undergone a similar decline among men. In
Scotland the mortality rate from lung cancer was significantly higher than in England in both male and females.
Impact of smoking
The lifestyle choices of individuals in the United Kingdom are also important in the occurrence of respiratory diseases. In England in 2019/20, there were approximately 410 thousand
hospital admissions for respiratory diseases which were caused by smoking. The number of admissions as a result of smoking has been increasing nearly year-on-year since 2010. Around a quarter of 25 to 34 year olds in
England smoke regularly, increasing their risk of developing a respiratory disease in later life.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
