Asthma incidence: data from the National Health Interview Survey, 1980-1996.
OBJECTIVE
To obtain historical estimates of US asthma incidence from 17 years of health survey data.


METHODS
The 1980 through 1996 National Health Interview Survey contained a question asking about the time of asthma onset in persons with asthma. Annual past year incidence estimates were calculated from self-reports of asthma status.


RESULTS
Incidence increased from 2.5 per 1,000 (SE 0.37) in 1980 to 6.0 per 1,000 (SE 0.75) in 1996. Incidence increased faster in children than in adults and increased in females but not in males during this time.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that increasing asthma incidence contributed to the increasing prevalence during this time.
Rudd
Rose Anne
RA
Air Pollution and Respiratory Health Branch, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333. USA. rvr2@cdc.gov
Moorman
Jeanne E
JE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology