Michael G. Flynn
Respiratory symptoms of rural Fijian and Indian children in Fiji.
significant ethnic differences exist respiratory morbidity children fiji islands indian children higher national hospital admission rates asthma whereas fijian children higher admission rates pneumonia suva city prevalence wheeze similar fijian indian children productive cough common fijians bronchial hyperresponsiveness common indians study undertaken see whether ethnic differences national hospital admission rates reflected prevalence respiratory symptoms rural childrena respiratory symptoms questionnaire three languages known repeatability returned 487 982 496 class 4 primary school children mean age 93 years living nausori district agrarian region climate similar suva citythe prevalence one episodes wheezing last 12 months similar fijians 198 indians 194 however 89 indian children experienced four episodes wheeze last 12 months compared 29 fijian children productive cough mornings occurred frequently fijians 358 indians 239 difference significant controlling presence smoker homethis study provides first evidence frequent wheeze four episodes last 12 months prevalent indian fijian children higher prevalence productive cough fijian children may related exposure smoking home