Melia R J, Chinn S, Rona R J
Department of Community Medicine, United Medical and Dental School of Guy's Hospital, London.
Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1988 May 21;296(6634):1438-41. doi: 10.1136/bmj.296.6634.1438.
Factors contributing to differences in the prevalences of respiratory symptoms and diseases among ethnic groups were studied in primary schoolchildren living in 20 inner city areas of England in 1983. The raised prevalences of respiratory symptoms in these groups were compared with results from a national representative sample of children studied in 1982. Data on age, sex, respiratory illness, and social and environmental variables were obtained by questionnaire for 4815 children living in inner cities. The children were classified as white, Afro-Caribbean, Urdu, Gujarati, Punjabi, other Asian, or "other." Significant differences in the prevalence of respiratory conditions were found among the ethnic groups after allowance was made for the effects of interfering variables. Except for asthma all conditions were most prevalent in Afro-Caribbeans and whites. In these two ethnic groups respiratory illness was significantly associated with belonging to a one parent family and the combined use of gas cookers and paraffin heaters at home. Respiratory illness was found to vary in prevalence among ethnic groups but may be perceived differently by different groups. Further studies, measuring lung function, are necessary.
1983年，对居住在英格兰20个市中心区的小学生进行了研究，以探讨导致不同种族群体呼吸道症状和疾病患病率差异的因素。将这些群体中呼吸道症状的较高患病率与1982年全国代表性儿童样本的研究结果进行了比较。通过问卷调查收集了4815名居住在市中心儿童的年龄、性别、呼吸道疾病以及社会和环境变量的数据。这些儿童被分为白人、非洲加勒比人、乌尔都人、古吉拉特人、旁遮普人、其他亚洲人或“其他”种族。在考虑了干扰变量的影响后，发现不同种族群体之间呼吸道疾病的患病率存在显著差异。除哮喘外，所有疾病在非洲加勒比人和白人中最为普遍。在这两个种族群体中，呼吸道疾病与单亲家庭以及家中同时使用燃气灶具和煤油取暖器显著相关。研究发现，呼吸道疾病在不同种族群体中的患病率有所不同，但不同群体对其的认知可能存在差异。有必要进行进一步的研究，测量肺功能。
