In this first episode of our series on respiratory health, we aim to answer a vital question: what is asthma? In this brief introduction, we will describe the health condition, the classifications that healthcare providers use to categorize cases, and a few key symptoms. Then, our guests provide input on the epidemiology of asthma.

Dr. Sarah Geiger is an epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with research focusing on environmental exposures and children’s health. Dr. Arlene Keddie, also an epidemiologist, is professor emeritus of public health at Northern Illinois University whose research focuses on chronic disease and health disparities.