A comparison of the respiratory care given to asthmatic and nonasthmatic children in a general practice.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the management of respiratory problems in asthmatic and nonasthmatic children.


METHODS
A comparison of recorded morbidity in clinical records with parental replies to questionnaires for random matched samples of 5 to 9 year old asthmatic and nonasthmatic children from a suburban middle class general practice over the 1990 year.


RESULTS
Eighty six percent of parents of asthmatic children and 75% of parents of nonasthmatic children responded. 11% of asthmatic children left the practice without giving a forwarding address. Asthmatic children consulted more often, saw more general practitioners, and were prescribed more antibiotic and asthma related drug items than nonasthmatic children. Asthmatic children were no more likely than nonasthmatic children to have their respiratory system examined at the general practice when well and no more likely to use secondary services. Fifty seven percent of asthmatic children had an asthma drug related prescription written and 22% of asthmatic children had a peak flow recording. Disagreement between records and parental report: 31% of nonasthmatic children were reported by parents to have asthma related symptoms. 31% of these children did not see a general practitioner, 31% were seen for other problems, and 38% were treated for respiratory problems but not diagnosed as asthmatic. Forty nine percent of asthmatic children were reported to be taking daily asthma medication but 38% of these children had not been prescribed their medication in the practice. Fifty one percent of asthmatic children were reported not to be taking daily asthma medication but 50% of these children had been prescribed an asthma drug in the practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Asthmatic and nonasthmatic children have nearly all their respiratory illnesses managed in general practice. In the general practice management of asthma the issues of workload, continuity of care, acute management, practice population based management, and communication need more research.
Kljakovic
M
M
Wellington School of Medicine.
D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents; D011897:Random Allocation; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload
D001993:Bronchodilator Agents