Childhood asthma in France: geographical, social and family disparities

The proportion of children with asthma shows marked differences depending on the region, the professional category of the parents or the family environment, the data presented in a study by the Directorate of Research, Studies, the evaluation and statistics (Drees) of the Ministry of Health.

A survey among school children

This analysis Drees, entitled "The health of school children CM2 through school health surveys in 2001-2002," based on data collected during the 2001-2002 school year, when the review of CM2 pupils by physicians and school nurses. While three-year cycles comparable surveys have also been established in in kindergarten and third, under the auspices of the Ministries of Health and Education.

At the time of the survey, 13.9% of pupils in CM2 already had at least one asthma attack or had been treated against asthma during their lifetime, with a male predominance (12.7% for girls, 15.9% boys).

If the prevalence of asthma did not vary significantly as the child is enrolled in urban or rural areas, the data emphasized, however, that showed particularly high in the overseas departments (13.9%) and that "the western regions of France include a stronger children who have asthma than other parts of proportion."

The family environment also appears to influence, "to the extent that, all things being equal, only children or elders in a family of several children seem significantly more likely" to asthma than other children (respectively 15% and 16%).

Less marked in the treatment disparities

Second indicator of respiratory problems considered in this study: asthma in process at the time of examination by the school doctor, concerning 9.5% of school children in CM2 at the time of investigation (8% of girls, 10.9% boys).

The medical management of asthma does not seem to be as closely linked to the geographical or family situation of the student. In contrast, the father's occupation has a significant impact: the children of unskilled workers are less frequently treated against asthma (4.7%) than the children of managers (10.8%) and artisans ( 12%). This could be explained "by medical habits more or less frequent and regular consultations in the social environment," the authors note.

The observed difference between girls and boys, as was observed between single children or seniors siblings and other children, remains significant, depending on the differences in prevalence in these different categories.