Table 5

Prevalence of skin prick test positivity and asthma in population based studies comparing different populations or the same population over time

Reference	Population	No.	Age	% with +ve skin prick test	% with doctor diagnosed asthma or ‘asthma’
Comparisons of populations
Charpin et al 40	Marseille	4008	18–65	28^5-150	4
	Briancon	1055	18–65	10^5-150	2
Von Mutius24	Munich	4451	9–11	37	9
	Leipzig/Halle	2335	9–11	18	7
Leung and Ho41	Malaysia	321	16	64	3
	Hong kong	471	14	58	7
	China	647	16	49	2
Peat et al 42	Sydney	1339	8–11	42	24
	West Sydney	904	8–11	42	28
	Moree/Narrabi	770	8–11	40	31
	Wagga Wagga	850	8–11	40	29
	Belmont	926	8–11	39	38
	Broken Hill	794	8–11	37	30
	Lismore	805	8–11	35	31
Nowacket al 43	Hamburg	1159	20–44	36	2
	Erfurt	731	20–44	30	1
Yemaneberhan44	Rural Ethiopia	861	5–70+	12^5-150	1
	Urban Ethiopia	2194	5–70+	4^5-150	4
Wieringaet al 45	Urban Antwerp	319	20–44	26^5-150	7
	Suburban Antwerp	337	20–44	17^5-150	4
Comparisons of time periods
Peat et al 46	Busselton 1981	553	18–55	39	9
	Busselton 1990	1028	18–55	41	16
Peatet al 47	Belmont 1982	718	8–10	28	9
	Belmont 1992	873	8–10	29	38
	Wagga Wagga 1982	769	8–10	30	13
	Wagga Wagga 1992	795	8–10	35	30
Von Mutiuset al 48	Leipzig/Halle 1991/2	1492	9–11	19	4
	Leipzig/Halle 1995/6	2311	9–11	27	4