Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T13:55:46.680Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A population-based study of emergency department presentations for asthma in regions of Alberta

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 May 2015

Rhonda J. Rosychuk ,
Donald C. Voaklander ,
Terry P. Klassen ,
Ambikaipakan Senthilselvan ,
Thomas J. Marrie  and
Brian H. Rowe
Rhonda J. Rosychuk*
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.
Donald C. Voaklander
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.
Terry P. Klassen
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.
Ambikaipakan Senthilselvan
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.
Thomas J. Marrie
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS
Brian H. Rowe
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta. Department of Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta.
*
Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, 9423 Aberhart Centre, 11402 University Ave. N.W., Edmonton AB T6G 2J3; [email protected]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.
Objective:

We describe the epidemiology of asthma presentations to emergency departments (EDs) for 3 main regions in the province of Alberta.

Methods:

We used a comprehensive ED database to identify ED visits in Alberta from April 1999 to March 2005. We linked the visits to other provincial administrative databases to obtain all data on follow-up encounters for asthma during that period. Information extracted included demographics, regions of residence (Edmonton, Calgary or non–major urban [NMU]), timing of ED visits, and subsequent visits to non-ED settings. Data analysis included descriptive summaries and directly standardized visit rates.

Results:

During the 6-year study period, 93 146 patients made 199 991 ED visits for asthma. Crude rates in 2004/05 were 7.9/1000, 6.5/1000 and 15.4/1000 in the Edmonton, Calgary and NMU regions, respectively. The Edmonton and Calgary regions had consistently lower visit rates than the NMU regions. The ED visits were followed by low rates of follow-up visits in a variety of non-ED settings, at different intervals.

Conclusion:

Asthma is a relatively common presenting problem in Alberta EDs. This study identified relatively stable rates of presentation during the study period, and variation among regions in terms of age and sex. This study provides further understanding of the variation associated with ED presentation and indicates possible targets for specific interventions to reduce asthma-related ED visits.

Keywords

asthmadatabasesemergency medicineepidemiologyrespiratory tract diseases
Type
Original Research • Recherche originale
Information
Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine , Volume 12 , Issue 4 , July 2010 , pp. 339 - 346
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians 2010

References

REFERENCES

1.Mannino, DM, Homa, DM, Pertowski, CA, et al.Surveillance for asthma — United States, 1980–1999. MMWR Surveill Sum 1998;47:1–27.Google Scholar
2.Dales, RE, Cakmak, S, Judek, S, et al.Influence of outdoor aeroallergens on hospitalizations for asthma in Canada. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004;113:303–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Lin, M, Chen, Y, Villeneuve, PJ, et al.Gaseous air pollutants and asthma hospitalization of children with low household income in Vancouver, British, Columbia, Canada. Am J Epidemiol 2004;159:294–303.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Boulet, L-P, Becker, A, Berube, D, et al.Canadian asthma consensus report, 1999. CMAJ 1999;161:S1–61.Google ScholarPubMed
5.National Asthma Education Program. Expert panel report II: guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; 1997.Google Scholar
6.National Asthma Education Program. Expert panel report III: guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health; 2007.Google Scholar
7.Krahn, MD, Berka, C, Langlois, P, et al.Direct and indirect costs of asthma in Canada. CMAJ 1996;154:821–31.Google Scholar
8.Weiss, KB, Gergen, PJ, Hodgson, TA. An economic evaluation of asthma in the United States. N Engl J Med 1992;326:862–6.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Rowe, BH, Voaklander, DC, Wang, D, et al.Asthma presentations by adults to emergency departments in Alberta, Canada: a large population-based study. Chest 2009;135:57–65.Google Scholar
10.Rosychuk, RJ, Voaklander, DC, Klassen, TP, et al.Asthma presentations by children to emergency departments in a Canadian province: a population-based study. Pediatr Pulmonol. In press.Google Scholar
11.Ambulatory care in Alberta using Ambulatory Care Classification System data. Edmonton (AB): Alberta Health and Wellness;2004.Google Scholar
12.Rowe, BH, Bond, K, Ospina, M, et al.Data collection on patients in emergency departments in Canada. CJEM 2006;8:417–24.Google Scholar
13.Colman, I, Dryden, DM, Thompson, AH, et al.Utilization of the emergency department after self-inflicted injury. Acad Emerg Med 2004;11:136–42.Google ScholarPubMed
14.Kelly, KD, Rowe, BH, Lissel, H, et al.Sports and recreation head injury treated in the emergency department. Clin J Sport Med 2001;11:77–81.Google Scholar
15.Voaklander, DC, Kelly, KD, Sukrani, N, et al.Sledding injuries presenting to the emergency department in a northern city. Acad Emerg Med 2001;8:629–35.Google Scholar
16.Carriere, KC, Roos, LL. Comparing standardized rates of events. Am J Epidemiol 1994;140:472–82.Google Scholar
17.Lougheed, MD, Garvey, N, Chapman, KR, et al.The Ontario Asthma Regional Variation Study: emergency department visit rates and the relation to hospitalization rates. Chest 2006;129:909–17.Google Scholar
18.Ginde, AA, Espinola, JA, Camargo, CA Jr.Improved overall trends but persistent racial disparities in emergency department visits for acute asthma, 1993–2005. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2008;122:313–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
19.Rowe, BH, Bota, GW, Clark, S, et al.Comparison of Canadian versus American emergency department visits for acute asthma. Can Respir J 2007;14:331–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Stieb, DM, Szyszkowicz, M, Rowe, BH, et al.Air pollution and emergency department visits for cardiac and respiratory conditions: a multi-city time-series analysis. Environ Health 2009;8:25.Google Scholar
21.Villeneuve, PJ, Chen, L, Rowe, BH, et al.Outdoor air pollution and emergency department visits for asthma among children and adults: a case-crossover study in northern Alberta, Canada. Environ Health 2007;6:40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
22.Rowe, BH, Yiannakoulias, N, Voaklander, DC, et al.The epidemiology of acute asthma presentations in Alberta. CJEM 2000;2:174.Google Scholar
23.Habbick, B, Baker, MJ, McNutt, M, et al.Recent trends in the use of inhaled beta 2-adrenergic agonists and inhaled corticosteroids in Saskatchewan. CMAJ 1995;153:1437–43.Google Scholar
24.Sin, DD, Wells, H, Svenson, L, et al.Asthma and COPD among Aboriginals in Alberta, Canada. Chest 2002;121:1841–6.Google Scholar
25.Becker, A, Bérubé, D, Chad, Z, et al.Canadian Pediatric Asthma Consensus Guidelines, 2003 (updated to December 2004): introduction. CMAJ 2005;173(Suppl):S12-4.Google Scholar