title: An international comparison of asthma morbidity and mortality in US soldiers. 1984 to 1988.
abstract: Asthma-related morbidity, as measured by hospital discharges, and mortality are compared for US soldiers assigned to central Europe and to the continental United States. The populations, as well as the level and type of medical care available, are quite similar in both locations and permit a purer contrast of the effect of geography than is possible by comparing indigenous populations across national boundaries. The results reveal higher discharge rates and mortality in Europe than in the United States; a peak discharge rate in the third calendar quarter in Europe but less clearly in the United States; similar mortality in black and white subjects, in contrast to US civilian data; and declining discharge rates over time among soldiers less than 24 yr old.
authors.affiliation: Tenth Medical Laboratory, Landstuhl, Germany.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ward
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D044383:Black People; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012621:Seasons; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology