Mak H, Johnston P, Abbey H, Talamo R C
J Allergy Clin Immunol. 1982 Nov;70(5):367-72. doi: 10.1016/0091-6749(82)90026-4.
To determine the prevalence of asthma and to examine the pattern of health service utilization of asthmatic children in Baltimore, we sent questionnaires randomly to 4096 first and sixth graders attending Baltimore City public schools; 2898 completed the questionnaire. Asthma was defined as "a condition which causes difficulty in breathing, with wheezing noises in the chest." On the basis of this definition, we found that the cumulative prevalence of asthma was 10.5% and the 12 mo period prevalence was 7.2%. The prevalence was significantly higher for boys (male:female = 1.6:1) and for blacks (black:white = 1.5:1). Nearly 50% of the children with active asthma missed 6 days or more out of the school year because of illnesses due to asthma. Almost half the asthmatic children obtained their care of asthma in the emergency room, and twice as many blacks as whites used the emergency room as their primary source of care. Moreover, emergency room users had a higher school absentee rate than non-emergency room users.
为了确定哮喘的患病率，并研究巴尔的摩哮喘儿童的医疗服务利用模式，我们随机向巴尔的摩市公立学校的4096名一年级和六年级学生发送了问卷；2898名学生完成了问卷。哮喘被定义为“一种导致呼吸困难，并伴有胸部哮鸣音的病症”。基于这一定义，我们发现哮喘的累积患病率为10.5%，12个月期间患病率为7.2%。男孩（男：女 = 1.6：1）和黑人（黑：白 = 1.5：1）的患病率显著更高。近50%的活动性哮喘儿童因哮喘疾病在一学年中缺课6天或更多天。几乎一半的哮喘儿童在急诊室接受哮喘治疗，使用急诊室作为主要治疗来源的黑人是白人的两倍。此外，使用急诊室治疗的儿童的学校缺勤率高于不使用急诊室治疗的儿童。
