Recent trends in the prevalence and severity of childhood asthma

Article Abstract:

The incidence of asthma among children in the US may be increasing. A study compared the number of reported asthma cases among 15,224 children between 0 and 17 years old in 1981 to the number among 17,110 children the same ages in 1988. About 3% of the children surveyed in 1981 suffered from asthma, compared with 4.3% of the children surveyed in 1988. The prevalence of asthma increased among children over four years old, but not among younger children. The incidence of asthma among white children increased by 1.4% between 1981 and 1988. The incidence among black children stayed about the same in both years, but the prevalence of asthma was higher among black children than among white children in both 1981 and 1988. Children with asthma in 1988 had better overall health status, missed fewer days from school and were hospitalized less frequently than those in 1981. The higher incidence of childhood asthma may be caused partially by increased diagnosis of the disease.

Statistics, Pediatric diseases, Children, Diseases, Asthma in children, Childhood asthma

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Clinical determinants of the racial disparity in very low birth weight

Article Abstract:

The higher incidence of a very low birth weight among black infants compared to white infants may be caused by poorer maternal health. Pregnant women with poor health may have a higher risk of premature delivery than other women. A study reviewed the medical records of 1,299 infants with a birth weight between 500 and 1,499 grams and those of their mothers. The risk of a very low birth weight was approximately two to three times higher among black infants than among white infants. The risk of several major conditions associated with a very low birth weight was much higher among the mothers of black infants than among mothers of the white infants. These conditions included premature rupture of the amniotic sac, premature labor of unknown cause, high blood pressure and hemorrhaging. Black women need to have better medical care during their pregnancy and at the time of delivery.

Causes of, Birth weight, Low, Low birth weight

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The racial disparity in infant mortality

Article Abstract:

The death rate among black infants is over twice that among white infants. This difference is caused in part by the higher risk of a low-birth-weight or a very-low-birth-weight among black infants than among white infants. A research study found that certain maternal conditions are associated with an increased risk of a very-low-birth-weight among both black and white infants. These conditions included premature rupture of the amniotic sac, high blood pressure, premature labor of unknown cause and hemorrhage or a combination of these conditions. Black women have a higher risk of these conditions than white women. Other factors besides low-birth-weight contribute to the higher infant mortality rate in the black population. Some health experts are promoting a national program to increase public awareness of factors that may increase the risk of infant death.

Editorial

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