Asthma and wheezing symptoms in young people in six Western countries.
BACKGROUND
Asthma diagnosed in children shows wide geographical variations. Large scale surveys identify children with diagnosed asthma, but neglect the group of youngsters with multiple asthmatic complaints.


METHODS
A short validated asthma questionnaire was included in six national surveys of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study. Prevalence rates are presented by country, gender and age. Gender and age differences are analysed using binary and multinomial logistic regressions controlling for age and smoking.


RESULTS
Large country differences are observed in the prevalence rates of diagnosed asthma (8.6%-20.9% in boys, 6.9%-18.5% in girls) and young people with "asthma-like symptoms" (9.6%-20.2% in boys, 9.2%-23.1% in girls). When controlling for age and smoking, significant gender differences are observed (more diagnosed asthma in boys, more asthmatic symptoms in girls). Age differences were observed in adolescents with "asthma-like symptoms", but not in diagnosed asthma.


CONCLUSIONS
Using a short asthma questionnaire, large differences in diagnosed asthma and wheezing symptoms are observed between the countries. A considerable group of youngsters with "asthma-like symptoms" is detected in all countries, and may be an unrecognised risk group in health promotion.
Hublet
A
A
Department of Public Health, Ghent University, University Hospital-bloc A-2nd floor, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. anne.hublet@UGent.be
Andersen
A
A
Godeau
E
E
Vereecken
C
C
Välimaa
R
R
Tynjälä
J
J
Boyce
W
W
Maes
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors