Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and changing trend of bronchial asthma in Gansu province from 2018 to 2024, identify influencing factors, and provide evidence for the prevention and control of asthma and for the pilot work of “integration of medical care and prevention” in Gansu.

Methods Based on the national health information platform, the prevalence data of asthma in Gansu were collected and an analysis combined with demographic data was conducted by using SPSS 25.0 and Python 3.12. Mann-Kendall test was used to evaluate the prevalence trend, and χ² test was used to compare the differences between groups (α=0.05).

Results From 2018 to 2024, a total 562 907 patients with asthma were diagnosed in Gansu, with a overall prevalence rate of 2.28%. The prevalence rate in women (2.46%) was significantly higher than that in men (2.11%) (P<0.001). A average of 7 854 new patients were diagnosed annually (95% CI: 5 210–10 498), showing a significant upward trend (P=0.048). The age distribution indicated that the patients aged 51-<60 years were predominant (22.44%), and the prevalence rate was highest in people aged > 65 years (10.69%). Area distribution showed that Lanzhou had the largest number of the patients (32.61%), and Jiuquan and Jiayuguan had the high prevalence rates (0.50%-0.63%) compared with other areas, the differences were significant. The number of hospital visits was highest in autumn (26.90%), and the peak of hospital visits due to thunderstorm was observed in September 2024 (20 077 visits). Cough was the most common symptom (18.12%), and the hospital visit rate of cough variant asthma kept increasing, and 27.64% of the patients were complicated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Conclusion From 2018 to 2024, the cases and prevalence rate of asthma continued to increase in Gansu, which caused obvious health damage and disease burden to local residents. Women, middle-aged and elderly people and people in arid industrial cities were at higher risk, and thunderstorm weather was significantly related to the peak of autumn medical treatment. It is suggested to strengthen environmental management in areas at high-risk and promote early diagnosis of cough variant asthma, establish a multi-sectoral cooperation mechanism of medical care, public health and meteorology, and optimize the multi-disease co-management and meteorological early warning system to reduce the disease burden level.