title: Asthma medication use in school-aged children.
abstract: Using data from the 1996, 1998, and 2000 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, this study assessed controller medication use in a national representative sample of school-aged children with persistent asthma. Children 5 to 17 years of age with persistent asthma were identified in accordance with the Health Employer Data and Information Set specifications. Nonuse of controllers and excess use of relievers were common. In addition, controller medications were significantly less likely to be purchased for younger children, black and Hispanic children, and white children whose mothers had at least a college education. Efforts to improve childhood asthma management are needed, especially for those children.
authors.affiliation: Division of Adolescent and School Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. lgw0@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Li Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Lani
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wheeler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014481:United States; D014600:Utilization Review / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents