Author/Editor     Eržen, D; Carriere, KC; Dik, N; Mustard, C; Roos, LL; Manfreda, J; Anthonisen, NR
Title     Income level and asthma prevalence and care patterns
Type     članek
Source     Am J Respir Crit Care Med
Vol. and No.     Letnik 155
Publication year     1997
Volume     str. 1060-5
Language     eng
Abstract     Manitoba has a universally accessible health-care system that records physician contacts and hospitalizations in such a way that they can be ascribed to individuals. We examined the prevalence of physiciandiagnosed asthma, bronchitis, and airways obstruction (total respiratory morbidity (TRM)) in Winnipeg in 1988 and 1992, using place of residence to divide people into quintiles according to avera, family income. Physician office visits, hospitalizations, and consultation referrals were each examined. Three age groups: 0 to 14 yr, 1.5 to 34 yr, and >- 35 yr were studied.The prevalence of TRM was greater in low-than in high-income quintiles. Asthma prevalence was unrelated to income in the younger age groups; in the older group asthma was more common in low-income groups, but was less strongly related to income than was TRM. Asthma prevalence increased over the years studied, but the increase was not related to income level. There was some evidence of income-related diagnostic bias in that low-income patients were more likely to be labeled with a related diagnosis in addition to asthma than were high-income patients. Low-income patients had more physician contacts than did high-income patients. In terms of physician office visits, care continuity did not differ among income quintiles. Lowincome quintiles had more hospitalizations than did high-income quintiles, and differences were larger than could be accounted for by diagnostic bias; asthma was probably more severe in low-income quintiles. High-income quintiles had more consultation referrals than did low-income quintiles.
Descriptors     ASTHMA
BRONCHITIS
AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION
SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS
INCOME
CANADA
AMBULATORY CARE
HOSPITALIZATION
PREVALENCE