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a Department of
Community, Correspondence to: Dr T P
Ng.
Received 10
November 1997; Returned to authors 9 January 1998; Revised version received 21 June 1999;
Accepted for publication 1 July 1999
BACKGROUND
A study was
undertaken to examine temporal trends and ethnic differences in the
asthma mortality rate in Singapore.
METHODSAsthma
mortality rates in Singapore were estimated from vital data for the
years from 1976 to 1995. Trends in sex and age specific (5-14, 15-34,
35-59, 60+ years) rates were obtained for four periods (1976-80,
1981-85, 1986-90, 1991-95) and for Chinese, Malay, and Indian
subjects for the years when these data were available (1989-95).
RESULTSAn increase in
asthma mortality was observed in children aged 5-14 years from 0.21 per 100 000 person years in 1976-80 to 0.72 per 100 000 person years
in 1991-95. No increases were noted in the other age groups but a
small decrease was observed in the 1991-95 period for the 35-59 year
age group. Marked ethnic differences in mortality rates were observed.
In the group aged 5-34 years the asthma mortality rates were 0.5 per
100 000 in Chinese subjects, 1.3 per 100 000 in Indians, and 2.5 per
100 000 in Malay subjects. Similar 2-4 fold differences were observed
in all other age groups.
CONCLUSIONSApart from
genetic factors, environmental exposures and medical care factors which
influence asthma prevalence and severity are most likely to be the
causes of the observed temporal trends and
ethnic differences in the asthma mortality rate in Singapore, but
further studies are needed to elucidate these more fully.
Keywords:
asthma;
mortality;
ethnicity;
race
© 1999 by Thorax
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