Prevalence of diagnosed asthma among children from birth to 5 years of age in rural and urban areas, Canada, 1998/1999 to 2006/2007
Source: CICH graphic created using data adapted from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, Cycles 3 (1998-1999) through 7 (2006-2007). http://www.dpe-agje-ecd-elcc.ca/eng/ecd/well-being/longdesc/figure6-eng.shtml – accessed May 22, 2017.
Additional information on the prevalence of diagnosed asthma for children under 6 years of age in urban and rural areas can be found in the Environmental Risks/Conditions section of the Early Child Development Module.
Additional information on asthma prevalence in children 1 to 4 can be found in the Environmental Risks/Conditions section of the Early Child Development Module.
In 2006/07, 7.3% of all children under 6 had asthma (diagnosed by a physician).
That was down from 8.8% in 2004/05.
In 2006/2007, asthma was more prevalent among males (8.2%) than females (6.3%).2
In 1998/99, the rate of asthma was greater among children living in urban settings than in rural settings. However, by 2006/07 that difference had disappeared.
2CICH graphic created using data adapted from the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth, Cycle 7 (2006-2007). http://www.dpe-agje-ecd-elcc.ca/eng/ecd/well-being/longdesc/figure6-eng.shtml– accessed May 22, 2017.
Implications
Asthma, which is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway, can have very frightening symptoms for young children and their families. These include shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, wheezing and coughing. Asthma can be mild, moderate or severe – and varies among children and among episodes. There is no cure for asthma, but there are treatments and lifestyle approaches that can help children live with no or fewer symptoms.1
It is encouraging that there has been a decrease in the prevalence of diagnosed asthma among children 1 to 5 between 1998/99 and 2006/07 – with fewer children living with symptoms of the disease.
1Asthma Society of Canada website. What is Asthma? http://www.asthma.ca/adults/about/whatIsAsthma.php – accessed June 24, 2017.