Gender differences and the use of health care services in childhood asthma

Abstract

Objectives: To compare gender differences in childhood asthma and to assess whether there is a gender difference in the use of health care services. Method: An analysis of the data collected by Peat et al. in the years of 1991 to 1993 has been used for this study. The population sample comprised of 5468 children from eight to eleven years of age. Results: Males had a high prevalence of wheeze and asthma (P<O.OOl) compared to females. They had more frequent consultations with a general practitioner (P<O.05), more assessments in the Accident and Emergency department (P<O.OOl), more admissions to hospital (P<O.OOl) and used more medications for asthma (P<O.OOl). In the asthma severity groups, males diagnosed with asthma and wheeze in the last 12 months had more admissions to hospital (P<O.Ol), consultations with a general practitioner (P<O.Ol) and assessments in the emergency department (P<O.05) than females. In addition, compared to females, males with four or more episodes of wheeze in the last 12 months used more medications for asthma (P<O.05) and males with atopy had more hospital admissions, assessments in the emergency department and consultations with a general practitioner (P<O.05). Conclusion: The study found significant differences by gender in the use of health care services, in childhood asthma. Males had a greater preponderance to wheeze and asthma and used more health care services than females. When further analyses relating to the severity of the disease were conducted, males not only had more asthma than females, but male asthmatics had more severe asthma as indicated by a greater use of health care services.