PREVALENCE OF ASTHMA SYMPTOMS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT IN 12-14 YEAR-OLD CHILDREN ACROSS GREAT-BRITAIN (INTERNATIONAL STUDY OF ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES IN CHILDHOOD, ISAAC UK)

Objective: To investigate variations in the prevalence of self reporte d symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of asthma in 12-14 year old child ren. Design: Self completion questionnaire. Setting: Great Britain. Su bjects: All pupils aged 12-14 years in a stratified cluster sample of 93 large mixed secondary schools in 1995. Main outcome measures: Self reported prevalence of symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of asthma at four geographical levels. Results: 27 507 questionnaires were complet ed (85.9% response rate). The national 12 month prevalence of any whee zing, speech limiting wheeze, four or more attacks of wheeze, and freq uent night waking with wheeze was 33.3% (n = 9155), 8.8% (2427), 9.6% (2634), and 3.7% (1023) respectively. The prevalence of ever having ha d a diagnosis of asthma was 20.9% (5736). In total, 19.8% (5438/27 507 ) of pupils reported treatment with anti-asthma drugs in the past year , but, of pupils reporting frequent nocturnal wheeze in the past year, 33.8% (342/1012) had no diagnosis of asthma and 38.6% (395/1023) deni ed receiving inhaler therapy Tile 12 month prevalence of wheeze was hi ghest in Scotland (36.7%, 1633/4444), but in England and Wales there w as no discernible north-south or east-west gradient, Wheeze prevalence was slightly higher in non-metropolitan ar eas (35.0%, 6155/17 605) t han in metropolitan areas (30.3%, 3000/9902). The prevalence of self r eported asthma diagnosis and inhaler use showed no discernible nationa l, regional, north-south, or east-west geographical pattern but was hi gher in non-metropolitan areas. Conclusion: Prevalence of self reporte d symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of asthma was high among 12-14 ye ar olds throughout Great Britain with little geographical or urban-rur al variation. Underdiagnosis and undertreatment were substantial.