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The prevalence of asthma and allergies in Singapore; data from two ISAAC surveys seven years apart.
- Source :
- Archives of Disease in Childhood; May2004, Vol. 89 Issue 5, p423-426, 4p, 3 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2004
-
Abstract
- Background and Aims: Over the past few decades, the prevalence of asthma has been increasing in the industrialized world. Despite the suggestion of a similar increase in Singapore, the 12 month prevalence of wheeze among schoolchildren in 1994 was 2.5-fold less than that reported in western populations. It was hypothesized that with increasing affluence in Singapore, the asthma prevalence would further increase and approach Western figures. A second ISAAC survey was carried out seven years later to evaluate this hypothesis. Methods: The cross-sectional data from two ISAAC questionnaire based surveys conducted in 1994 (n = 6238) and in 2001 (n = 9363) on two groups of schoolchildren aged 6-7 and 12-15 years were compared. The instruments used were identical and the procedures standardized in both surveys. Results: Comparing data from both studies, the change in the prevalence of current wheeze occurred in opposing directions in both age groups-decreasing in the 6-7 year age group (16.6% to 10.2%) but increasing to a small extent in the 12-15 year age group (9.9% to 11 .9%). The 12 month prevalence of rhinitis did not change; there was an increase in the current eczema symptoms in both age groups. Conclusion: The prevalence of current wheeze, a surrogate measure of asthma prevalence, has decreased significantly in the 6-7 year age group. Eczema was the only allergic disease that showed a modest increase in prevalence in both age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- HEALTH surveys
ECZEMA in children
SCHOOL children
ASTHMA
SKIN inflammation
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00039888
- Volume :
- 89
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Archives of Disease in Childhood
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 13218206
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2003.031112