title: Prevalence and geographic variations in asthma symptoms in children and adolescents in Galicia (Spain).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence and geographic variations of the symptoms associated with asthma in Galician children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional epidemiological study following ISAAC (International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood) methodology, and using a written questionnaire distributed in schools. The study sample included 10,371 6-7 year-old children and 10,372 13-14 year-old adolescents, all of them from Galician Health Areas. A logistic regression model was used to analyse geographic variations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 6-7 year-old group, wheezing in the last 12 months varied from 11.4% (Santiago) to 15.7% (Vigo) and in the adolescents varied from 8.8% (Ourense) to 18.8% (Vigo). The distribution by gender showed a predominant significance in 6-7 year-old males (P<.001), and near to be statistically significant in 13-14 year-old females (P=.08). The risk (odds ratio [OR]) of wheezing in the last 12 months in the area with highest prevalence in comparison with the area of lowest prevalence was 1.45 (95% Confidence Interval [CI], 1.12-1.88) for children and 2.39 (95% CI, 1.82-3.13) for adolescents. The estimated prevalence of asthma in the Autonomous Community of Galicia was 13.6% in younger children and 12.2% in adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of wheezing in the last 12 months in the different areas of Galicia is considerably higher than the rest of Spanish ISAAC cities in the 6-7 years group and very similar in the 13-14 years group, except in Vigo where it is considerably higher. We found a clearly defined geographic pattern in the adolescent group, with higher prevalences in coastal areas than in the interior.
authors: Fundación María José Jove, A Coruña, España. angel.lopez-silvarrey.varela@sergas.es
authors: Angel
authors: A
authors: López-Silvarrey-Varela
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Pértega-Díaz
authors: Santiago
authors: S
authors: Rueda-Esteban
authors: Juan Manuel
authors: JM
authors: Sánchez-Lastres
authors: Miguel Angel
authors: MA
authors: San-José-González
authors: Manuel
authors: M
authors: Sampedro-Campos
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Pérez-Castro
authors: Luciano
authors: L
authors: Garnelo-Suárez
authors: Luis
authors: L
authors: Bamonde-Rodríguez
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: López-Silvarrey-Varela
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: González-Barcala
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires