Archives of Disease in Childhood
Volume 81, Issue 2, 1999, Pages 159-162

Respiratory symptoms and duration of residence in immigrant teenagers living in Melbourne, Australia (Article)

Powell C.V.E. , Nolan T.M.* , Carlin J.B. , Bennett C.M. , Johnson P.D.R.
  • a Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Vic. 3032, Australia
  • b [Affiliation not available]
  • c [Affiliation not available]
  • d [Affiliation not available]
  • e Dept. Infect. Dis./Clin. Epidemiol., Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, Vic. 3168, Australia

Abstract

Objective - Examination of the relation between respiratory symptoms and time since arrival in Australia in immigrant teenagers living in Melbourne. Design - Two stages stratified, cross sectional survey. Setting-High schools (n = 51). Subjects - 9794 people aged 13-19 years. Main outcome measures- Prevalence of wheeze during a 12 month period, region of births duration of residence in Australia. Results - The estimated population 12 month period prevalence of wheeze was 18.9% (95% confidence interval (CI)s 18.0 to 19.9). In subjects born outside Australia, residence for five to nine years in Australia was associated with a 2.1-fold (CI, 1.1 to 4.0) increase in the odds of self reported wheeze; after 10-14 years, this risk increased 3.4- fold (CI, 1.8 to 6.7). There was no difference in severity of wheeze, measured by reported frequency of attacks, between Australian born and non- Australian born subjects. Conclusions - The notion of a continued secular increase in the prevalence of wheezing is not supported. There is a time dose effect on the prevalence of symptoms in subjects born outside Australia and now living in Melbourne, which is independent of age and country of birth.

Author Keywords

Asthma Prevalence Environmental factors Wheezing

Index Keywords

immigrant Australia human controlled study priority journal wheezing school child Adolescent male asthma preschool child environmental factor Infant risk factor female prevalence Article major clinical study Child
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0032813840&doi=10.1136%2fadc.81.2.159&partnerID=40&md5=704fc627cad6286f4303c15286dbaa9b
DOI: 10.1136/adc.81.2.159
ISSN: 00039888
Cited by: 51
Original Language: English