Increased asthma hospitalizations among registered Indian children and adults in Saskatchewan, 1970-1989

Abstract

We investigated asthma morbidity in children and adults among Registered Indians in Saskatchewan using hospitalization data for 1970-1989. In Registered Indians, significant increases were observed in the asthma hospitalization rates from 1979 to 1989 in boys and girls under 4 years, boys aged 5-14 years, and female adults aged 15-34 years respectively. In children under 4 years, the asthma hospitalization rates increased from 12.7 per 1000 in 1979 to 21.7 per 1000 in 1989. Asthma hospitalizations were higher among Indian boys than girls in the age group 0-4 years but this was reversed in the age groups 15-34 and 35-64 years. When compared with other Saskatchewan populations, the Indian population in age groups 0-4 and 35-64 years had significantly increased risk for hospitalization for asthma. Even though asthma was reported to be rare among Indians before 1975, we observed increases in asthma morbidity in recent years among Indian children and young adults.