RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Increased rates of illness and death from asthma in Canada
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP 620
OP 624
VO 137
IS 7
A1 Y. Mao
A1 R. Semenciw
A1 H. Morrison
A1 L. MacWilliam
A1 J. Davies
A1 D. Wigle
YR 1987
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/137/7/620.abstract
AB Recent rates of illness and death from asthma in Canada and rates of hospital admission/separation for asthma were examined by age group and region. The death rates were higher in 1982-84 than in 1970-72, especially among those aged 15 to 34 years. Increases were also noted in hospital admission/separation rates, especially among those less than 15 years of age. Hospital admission/separation rates were highest in the Maritime provinces and Saskatchewan, whereas death rates were highest in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Examination of death certificates for coding errors and recoding of certificates to a single (8th) revision of the International Classification of Diseases indicated that changes in disease coding and errors in coding did not account for the significant increase in rates of death from asthma for those aged 15 to 34 years. These increases in rates of illness and death from asthma are unexplained and warrant further investigation.