title: Nationwide cross-sectional population-based study on the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Japanese adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma is a common respiratory disease worldwide. However, few reports are available on the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Asian subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  To determine the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Japanese subjects, we performed a nationwide cross-sectional, population-based study on Japanese adults aged 20-79 years. Ten areas spread throughout the country were randomly selected. Door-to-door or postal surveys were performed using a translated version of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey was completed by 23,483 participants. The overall response rate was 70.6%. The prevalences of wheeze and current asthma among all participants aged 20-79 years were 10.1% (95% CI: 9.7-10.5%) and 4.2% (95% CI: 4.0-4.5%), respectively. The prevalences among young adults aged 20-44 years were 9.3% (95% CI: 8.7-9.9%) and 5.3% (95% CI: 4.8-5.8%), respectively. The prevalence of current asthma was highest in females aged 30-39 years in comparison with the other gender and age groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This nationwide study determined the prevalences of asthma and asthma symptoms among Japanese adults. The results provide fundamental information on the respiratory health of Japanese adults.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Center for Allergy and Rheumatology, Sagamihara National Hospital, Sagamihara, Japan. y-fukutomi@sagamihara-hosp.gr.jp
authors.forename: Yuma
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukutomi
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Konno
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Yukio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawagishi
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Komase
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akamatsu
authors.forename: Chiharu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Yasushi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanimoto
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Tomoaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eboshida
authors.forename: Ryoji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirota
authors.forename: Junko
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ikei
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Odajima
authors.forename: Takemasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akasawa
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akiyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000503:physiopathology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires