ASTHMA AND OTHER ATOPIC DISEASES IN AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN - AUSTRALIAN ARM OF THE INTERNATIONAL STUDY OF ASTHMA AND ALLERGY IN CHILDHOOD

Objective: To determine the prevalence of asthma, eczema and allergic rhinitis in Australian schoolchildren using the protocol of the Intern ational Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC). Design: Ques tionnaire-based survey. Setting: Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide (in winte r-spring, 1993) and Perth (in winter-spring, 1994). Subjects: All chil dren in school years 1 and 2 (ages 6-7 years) or in year 8 (ages 13-14 years), attending a random sample of 272 schools, stratified by age a nd city. Main outcome measures: Parent-reported (for 6-7 year olds) or self-reported (for 13-14 year olds) symptoms of atopic disease in the previous 12 months, or ever; treatment of asthma; and country of birt h. Results: 10 914 questionnaires were completed for 6-7 year olds and 12 280 for 13-14 year olds (84% and 94% response rates, respectively) . Prevalence of wheeze in the past 12 months was 24.6% for the 6-7 yea r olds and 29.4% for the 13-14 year olds, and, among 6-7 year olds, wa s significantly higher in boys (27.4%) than girls (21.7%). Children bo rn in Australia were more likely to report current wheeze than those b orn elsewhere (6-7 year olds: odds ratio [OR], 1.82; 95% confidence in terval [CI], 1.55-2.15; and 13-14 year olds: OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.68-2. 11). Prevalences of current eczema and allergic rhinitis were 10.9% an d 12.0%, respectively, for the 6-7 year olds, and 9.7% and 19.6%, resp ectively, for the 13-14 year olds. Asthma, eczema and rhinitis coexist ed in 1.8% of 6-7 year olds and 2.8% of 13-14 year olds. Conclusion: T his study provides evidence that asthma prevalence in Australian schoo lchildren is continuing to increase and is higher among Australian-bor n children than among those born elsewhere. Asthma, eczema and allergi c rhinitis coexist to a lesser extent than expected. These results for m the basis for future Australian and international comparisons.