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Asthma may affect up to one-third of Ontarians during their lifetime

February 16, 2010

By Patricia Nicholson

A study by Canadian researchers suggests that one in three Ontarians will be diagnosed with asthma during their lifetime.

The research is based on health data on the population of Ontario, including Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) records and hospitalization records. The study group included everyone under age 80 who lived in the province on April 1, 1996 and had never been diagnosed with asthma. The researchers used health records to follow this population for 11 years.

After analyzing the data, the researchers found that Ontarians had a 34 per cent lifetime risk of being diagnosed with asthma. Overall, women had a statistically significant higher risk than men of developing asthma (35 per cent compared to 33 per cent). However, boys under age 10 were more likely to have asthma than girls the same age, while women over 45 were more likely than men over 45 to be diagnosed with asthma.

Location and socioeconomic status also appeared to be predictors of asthma diagnosis. People living in urban areas had a significantly higher lifetime asthma risk than people who lived in rural areas (34.5 per cent compared to 30 per cent). Those who lived in the lowest-income neighbourhoods were also more likely to have asthma than those in the highest-income neighbourhoods (35 per cent risk compared to 32 per cent risk).

The researchers pointed out that the overall risk of asthma was comparable to that of other chronic diseases, such as cancer or diabetes. According to background information in the study, the lifetime risk of cancer is about 32 per cent and the lifetime risk of diabetes may be as high as 35 per cent. However, the researchers noted different patterns in asthma, which has a high incidence in children and adolescents, and a continuing risk of developing asthma throughout the lifespan. Most chronic diseases peak in older age groups, and are relatively rare in young people.

The research was published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

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