Grace Sembajwe|Manuel Cifuentes|S. W. Tak|David Kriebel|Robin Gore|Laura Punnett
National income, self-reported wheezing and asthma diagnosis from the World Health Survey
University of Massachusetts Lowell|Dana-Farber Cancer Institute|University of Massachusetts Lowell|University of Massachusetts Lowell|University of Massachusetts Lowell|University of Massachusetts Lowell|University of Massachusetts Lowell
aims study quantify describe variations respiratory symptoms diagnosis prevalence across regions world according national incomein 2002 2003 world health organization implemented world health survey whs used standardised survey instrument compile comprehensive baseline information health healthcare expenditurewe analysed whs data assess global patterns selfreported wheeze doctordiagnosed asthma two commonly reported measures respiratory healthin total 308218 participants complete records 64 countriesthe weighted mean age survey population 43 yrsglobal prevalence current wheezing symptoms ranged 24 vietnam 24 brazil prevalence diagnosed asthma ranged 18 vietnam 328 australiaoverall prevalence symptoms diagnosis showed ushaped pattern largest prevalence reported lowand highincome countriesthe smallest prevalence consistently found middleincome countriesthese whs analyses provided global prevalence estimates wheeze doctordiagnosed asthma using data gathered simultaneously consistently across six continentsthese findings support need continued global respiratory illness surveillance disease prevention health policy management