Chest
Clinical InvestigationsASTHMAStabilization of an Increasing Trend in Physician-Diagnosed Asthma Prevalence in Saskatchewan, 1991 to 1998*
Section snippets
Saskatchewan Population
As reported in the 1996 census, the population of Saskatchewan was composed of 976,615 persons, which included people of European origin (81.7%), aboriginal origin (11.4%), and other single (2.3%) and multiple (4.7%) origins.1920 The Registered Indians of Saskatchewan are of aboriginal origin and have registered under section 6 of the Indian Act with the Federal Government of Canada. This population is made up of mainly Cree and Chipewyan origins, and a small number of Saulteaux, Assinibione,
Asthma Prevalence
As shown in Figure 1, asthma prevalence rates were highest in preschool children aged 0 to 4 years during the study period, followed by school-going children, young adults, and older adults. This pattern was consistent throughout the study period. There was a rapid increase in asthma prevalence rates from 1991 to 1995, and a steady increase from 1996 to 1998 among preschool children as well as young adults and older adults. In school-going children aged 5 to 14 years, an increase was observed
Discussion
In our study, we used the physician services database of the Saskatchewan Health Departments to estimate the period prevalence of asthma from 1991 to 1998. The period prevalence estimates of 8.1% in preschool children (0 to 4 years) and 5.9% in school-going children (5 to 14 years) in 1998 from our study are consistent with those of a Canadian cross-sectional study,1 which reported a lifetime asthma prevalence of 10% among children aged 0 to 14 years of age.
In our previous report,18 asthma
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors thank Winanne Downey of Research Services, Population Health Branch, Saskatchewan Department of Health for assistance with abstracting the data and reviewing the manuscript.
References (45)
- et al.
Exposure to farming in early life and development of asthma and allergy: a cross-sectional survey
Lancet
(2001) - et al.
Increased asthma hospitalizations among registered Indian children and adults in Saskatchewan, 1970–1989
J Clin Epidemiol
(1995) Prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma in Saskatchewan, 1981–1990
Chest
(1998)- et al.
Asthma and COPD among Aboriginals in Alberta, Canada
Chest
(2002) - et al.
Reducing disparities in asthma care: priorities for research; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute workshop report
J Allergy Clin Immunol
(2002) - et al.
Sociodemographic correlates of indoor allergen sensitivity among United States children
J Allergy Clin Immunol
(2001) - et al.
Trends in physician-diagnosed asthma prevalence in Manitoba between 1980 and 1990
Chest
(1993) - et al.
Childhood asthma
Health Reports
(1999) - et al.
Surveillance for asthma: United States, 1960–1995
MMWR CDC Surveill Summ
(1998) Worldwide variations in the prevalence of asthma symptoms: the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC)
Eur Respir J
(1998)
Prevalence of asthma, rhinitis and eczema among children in 2 Canadian cities: the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood
Can Med Assoc J
Prevalence of asthma symptoms among adults aged 20–44 years in Canada
Can Med Assoc J
Epidemiology of pollution-induced airway disease: urban/rural differences in East and West Germany
Allergy
Allergic disease in teenagers in relation to urban or rural residence at various stages of childhood
Allergy
Environmental respiratory health in Central and Eastern Europe
Cent Eur J Public Health
Relative scarcity of asthma and atopy among rural adolescents raised on a farm
Am J Respir Crit Care Med
Farming environment in childhood prevents the development of allergies
Clin Exp Allergy
Reduced risk of hay fever and asthma among children of farmers
Clin Exp Allergy
The role of the farm environment and animal contact for the development of asthma and allergies [editorial]
Clin Exp Allergy
Race, socioeconomic factors, and area of residence are associated with asthma prevalence
Pediatr Pulmonol
Asthma prevalence among American Indian and Alaska Native children
Public Health Reports
Asthma and bronchiolitis hospitalizations among American Indian children
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med
Cited by (55)
Factors contributing to risks for pediatric asthma in rural Saskatchewan
2012, Annals of Allergy, Asthma and ImmunologyCitation Excerpt :We did confirm commonly identified personal characteristics associated with asthma and wheeze and identified environmental characteristics that were associated with asthma in this primarily rural region. The farm and small town groups were almost equally likely to have been given a diagnosis of asthma (ever asthma), but a slightly higher and statistically nonsignificant proportion of farm children reported current asthma and wheeze, contrary to findings observed in other settings, suggesting that living in a small town does not increase the risk of asthma or wheeze compared with farm children.3–5 Other contextual risk factors may account for differences in asthma prevalence observed geographically in other studies,3–5 as well as between different groups in our own study.
Asthma Diagnosis and Management
2012, Emergency Medicine Clinics of North AmericaUrban-rural differences in asthma prevalence among young people in Canada: The roles of health behaviors and obesity
2011, Annals of Allergy, Asthma and ImmunologyCitation Excerpt :We also found that several modifiable health behaviors were associated with asthma. Similar to ours, results from several studies, primarily in younger children, have demonstrated a reduced prevalence of asthma associated with rural residence,5 although not all studies have identified this association. One US study found asthma prevalence to be similar between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan regions.24
Prevalence of asthma and rhinitis in 13 year old adolescents in Porto, Portugal
2008, Revista Portuguesa de Pneumologia
The research was supported by a grant from the Health Services and Utilization Research Commission, Saskatchewan, Canada.
This study is based in part on nonidentifiable data provided by the Saskatchewan Department of Heath. The interpretations and conclusions contained herein do not necessarily represent those of the Government of Saskatchewan or the Saskatchewan Department of Health.
Reproduction of this article is prohibited without written permission from the American College of Chest Physicians (e-mail: [email protected]).