PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - JP Watson
AU  - P Cowen
AU  - RA Lewis
TI  - The relationship between asthma admission rates, routes of admission, and socioeconomic deprivation
AID  - 10.1183/09031936.96.09102087
DP  - 1996 Oct 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 2087--2093
VI  - 9
IP  - 10
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/9/10/2087.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/9/10/2087.full
SO  - Eur Respir J1996 Oct 01; 9
AB  - This study aimed to explore the relationship between hospital admissions for asthma and socioeconomic deprivation. A retrospective study examined one year of hospital admissions for asthma in the West Midlands region of England (n = 10,044), and in one of the region's wealthier districts, Worcester (n = 251). Age standardized admission ratios (SARs) for asthma, and the routes of hospital admission, were compared with the Towns- end Deprivation Index for the place of residence. Asthma SAR was strongly associated with deprivation as measured by the Towns end Index for the district of residence (Spearman rank correlation coefficient rho = 0.65; p = 0.004). Asthma admission rates for all age groups, except those aged over 65 yrs, were higher in poorer districts. A significantly greater proportion of emergency admissions in poorer districts came via Accident and Emergency departments, rather than general practitioner referrals (rho = 0.76; p < 0.001). Within Worcester District, SAR was associated with Townsend Index for the ward of residence (rho = 0.39; p < 0.001). This remained significant after excluding repeat admissions (rho = 0.45; p < 0.001). We conclude that asthma admissions are strongly associated with deprivation in the community. Differences in the health care received during acute exacerbations by asthma patients from different economic backgrounds is likely to be an important factor in this relationship.