Health officials push asthma awareness

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana health officials are spending May teaching the public about asthma and diagnosing adults and children who suffer from the disease.

State Health Commissioner Gregory Larkin says he is working with the Indiana Joint Asthma Commission to show how asthma can be controlled and treated.

The chronic lung disease causes breathlessness, wheezing and coughing. The state estimates 485,000 adults and 135,000 children have asthma in Indiana.

The state says the lung disease is a leading cause of emergency room visits in Indiana and the top cause of school absences. The estimated cost of asthma-related hospital visits in 2009 was $122 million.