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Published on: August 7, 2017

Prevalence of respiratory symptoms in under 5s: 1993 to 2001

M F Linehan1, M L Hazell, T L Frank

  • 1General Practice Research Unit, North West Lung Research Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester M23 9LT, UK. linehanmary@yahoo.co.uk

Archives of Disease in Childhood
|April 27, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Respiratory symptoms like wheeze and night cough decreased in young children over eight years. This trend may indicate improved treatments or a decline in non-asthma related conditions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Respiratory symptoms are common in young children.
  • Understanding trends in symptom prevalence is crucial for public health and clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze changes in the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in children aged 1-4 years over an eight-year period.
  • To examine trends in specific symptoms like wheeze, night cough, hay fever, and eczema.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study using questionnaire data from two general practices.
  • Data collected across four time points: 1993, 1995, 1999, and 2001.
  • Analysis focused on children aged 1-4 years at the time of survey completion.

Main Results:

  • A statistically significant decrease in the prevalence of wheeze and night cough was observed in 2-year-olds.
  • Night cough prevalence also significantly decreased in 4-year-olds.
  • Repeated antibiotic prescriptions declined for 2 and 3-year-olds; no changes in hay fever, eczema, or family history of asthma were noted.

Conclusions:

  • The observed downward trend in respiratory symptoms may reflect genuine decreases or advancements in treatment efficacy.
  • Absence of change in allergic conditions suggests the trend might not be solely related to asthma prevalence.
  • Further research is needed to elucidate the specific factors contributing to these observed changes in pediatric respiratory health.
Abstract

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