Asthma is more prevalent in rural New South Wales than metropolitan Victoria, Australia

Abstract

These results suggest that asthma is more prevalent in rural southern New South Wales than in Melbourne but follows a different pattern of exacerbations.

A polymorphism in the promoter region of the human interleukin‐16 gene is not associated with asthma or atopy in an Australian population

“…To our knowledge, this is the first study that has investigated the association between the IL-16 T À 295 C polymorphism and these phenotypes. Asthma is a chronic respiratory disorder that affects one in four children [18] and one in 10 adults [19] in Australia. At present, inhaled glucocorticosteroids have a major role in the management of asthma in Australia, however, a significant number of patients have severe disease despite regular therapy with both inhaled and systemic glucocorticosteroids [20].…”

Comparison of selected reasons for hospitalization of children among children’s/tertiary hospitals, Australia, 1996−97 and 1997−98

“…There remains the possibility that environmental and sociocultural or socioeconomic factors have contributed to the hospital‐specific variations recorded. Variations in rural hospital admission protocols may reflect a more conservative attitude to admissions for asthma, reflecting the patient distance to hospital and availability of emergency assistance 12 or differing hospital‐specific management as an admission or in the emergency department. Contextual differences in asthma self‐management education and community based education programmes may also account for differences in the proportions of asthma hospitalization 13 .…”

Prevalence of self‐reported respiratory symptoms in rural areas of Iran in 2000

“…Indeed, the rates were not much lower than those observed in some urban populations with higher smoking rates. [20][21][22] In some parts of the world, despite lower levels of traffic-related air pollution in rural areas, the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and COPD is considered to be high in farmers, 21,23 especially in grain, swine and dairy workers. 23 The increased frequency does not seem to be related to episodes of farmer's lung disease or sensitization to thermophilic actinomycetes.…”

“…[20][21][22] In some parts of the world, despite lower levels of traffic-related air pollution in rural areas, the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and COPD is considered to be high in farmers, 21,23 especially in grain, swine and dairy workers. 23 The increased frequency does not seem to be related to episodes of farmer's lung disease or sensitization to thermophilic actinomycetes. 23 Grain, rice, crop, vegetable and dairy farming on small family farms in close proximity to living areas is a common practice in Isfahan villages and this may result in the increased frequency of respiratory illnesses observed, despite there being an absence of traffic-related air pollution.…”