Indian Study on Epidemiology of Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms and Chronic Bronchitis in adults (INSEARCH)
OBJECTIVE: To determine the nationwide population prevalence of and risk factors for asthma and chronic bronchitis (CB) in adults.
DESIGN: A standardised validated questionnaire based on the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease's 1984 questionnaire was used to assess asthma and CB prevalence. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factor associations. Estimates standardised to the 2011 population projection estimates for India were used to calculate the national disease burden.
RESULTS: A total of 85 105 men and 84 470 women from 12 urban and 11 rural sites were interviewed. One or more respiratory symptoms were present in 8.5% of individuals. The overall prevalence of asthma and CB was respectively 2.05% (adults aged ≥15 years) and 3.49% (adults aged ≥35 years). Advancing age, smoking, household environmental tobacco smoke exposure, asthma in a first-degree relative, and use of unclean cooking fuels were associated with increased odds of asthma and CB. The national burden of asthma and CB was estimated at respectively 17.23 and 14.84 million.
CONCLUSION: Asthma and CB in adults pose an enormous health care burden in India. Most of the associated risk factors are preventable.
Keywords: asthma; chronic bronchitis; environmental tobacco smoke; solid fuel combustion; tobacco smoking
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: 1: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India 2: School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India 3: Division of Non-Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India
Publication date: 01 September 2012
The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IJTLD) is for clinical research and epidemiological studies on lung health, including articles on TB, TB-HIV and respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, asthma, COPD, child lung health and the hazards of tobacco and air pollution. Individuals and institutes can subscribe to the IJTLD online or in print – simply email us at [email protected] for details.
The IJTLD is dedicated to understanding lung disease and to the dissemination of knowledge leading to better lung health. To allow us to share scientific research as rapidly as possible, the IJTLD is fast-tracking the publication of certain articles as preprints prior to their publication. Read fast-track articles.
- Editorial Board
- Information for Authors
- Subscribe to this Title
- International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
- Public Health Action
- Ingenta Connect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites
Receive new issue alert- Access Key
- Free content
- Partial Free content
- New content
- Open access content
- Partial Open access content
- Subscribed content
- Partial Subscribed content
- Free trial content