Asthma prevalence among inner-city Asian American schoolchildren

Abstract

Although this study was preliminary, our results suggest that asthma rates are substantial among inner-city Asian immigrant children, but possibly lower than for other inner-city children.

Screening for asthma in Cantonese-speaking immigrant children

“…We were unable to determine whether this is a function of true asthma prevalence or differential diagnosis. The BPAS screen showed only 5.3% "possible undiagnosed asthma" cases, suggesting that there is little undiagnosed asthma consistent with the study of Lee et al [4]. However, difficulty in translating of the word "wheeze" into Cantonese and its centrality in the BPAS leaves ample room for uncertainty about the true prevalence of undiagnosed asthma.…”

“…With nine million children diagnosed with asthma in the United States, it is the leading cause of school absences, emergency room visits and hospitalizations among American youth [1,2]. Studies of asthma prevalence however, have tended to neglect the Asian-American population, leaving the burden of asthma faced by this population largely unknown [3,4]. …”

“…In the few studies that have included Asian-American children, lower prevalence of diagnosed asthma than in comparable populations has usually been found [1,3,4]. When included as part of "other races" in the Center for Disease Control report, Asian-American children, were found to have an asthma prevalence of 11.4% [1].…”

“…The BPAS also relies heavily on the use of the word "wheeze," thereby being subject to the same limitation [8]. Two previous studies have used Chinese translations of the BPAS in attempts to determine the prevalence of asthma in Asian-American immigrant children, yielding conflicting results [3,4]. Both studies offered the survey in English and Chinese.…”

“…Both studies offered the survey in English and Chinese. In the first study [4], conducted in 2002, parents of kindergarten through fifth grade students completed a self-administered written version of the BPAS. Using, , the professional term for wheezing, this study found the prevalence of diagnosed and possibly undiagnosed asthma to be 16% and 3%, respectively.…”