A Health Surveillance Update on Canadian Children and Youth

AUTHORS:
L. McRae, BSc
L. Panaro, MDCM, MHSc, FRCPC
E. Farzad, MD, MSc, FRCPC
H. Njoo, MD, MHSc, FRCPC

Respiratory Health

Many diseases, non-communicable and communicable, can affect the respiratory health of children and youth. Asthma and tuberculosis are two distinct conditions with important consequences for the health of Canadians. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition of the airways and one of the most prevalent chronic conditions in Canada. The first indicator, asthma prevalence, highlights that 12.2% of Canadian children and youth reported a diagnosis of asthma in a 1996-1997 survey. Furthermore, this prevalence has been increasing over the past two decades. The second indicator, asthma hospitalizations, presents the trends in hospital separation rates due to asthma among Canadian children and youth. The markedly higher rates in very young children are described. Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death due to a single infectious agent worldwide. The third indicator, tuberculosis incidence, highlights the recent trend in reported tuberculosis incidence among children and youth in Canada, as well as the burden of disease in high-risk populations. It also describes the potential for the re-emergence of this communicable disease. Although they are very different conditions, these two diseases illustrate the importance of respiratory health to the overall well-being of children and youth in Canada.

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