0000000000997539
AUTHOR
William F. Boyce
Asthma and wheezing symptoms in young people in six Western countries.
Background Asthma diagnosed in children shows wide geographical variations. Large scale surveys identify children with diagnosed asthma, but neglect the group of youngsters with multiple asthmatic complaints. Methods A short validated asthma questionnaire was included in six national surveys of the Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children Study. Prevalence rates are presented by country, gender and age. Gender and age differences are analysed using binary and multinomial logistic regressions controlling for age and smoking. Results Large country differences are observed in the prevalence rates of diagnosed asthma (8.6%-20.9% in boys, 6.9%-18.5% in girls) and young people with “asthma-like s…
Physical Activity of Children With and Without Long-Term Illness or Disability
Background:We know very little about physical activity in children with long-term illness or disability compared with those children without disabilities. Previous studies indicate low physical activity levels among all adolescents.Methods:The sample consisted of Canadian (n = 2720) and Finnish pupils (n = 3459) approximately 13.5 and 15.5 years of age in general (mainstreamed) education. The study is a part of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. Nationally representative data were collected in 2002 using a standardized questionnaire. The moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity screening measure was used.Results:Approximately one-fifth of the pupils in both co…