ASTHMA

Definition

This topic refers to persons ever told by a doctor or nurse that they have asthma, and whose asthma is current. Whether a person's asthma is current or not was determined by whether they had had any symptoms of asthma or taken treatment for asthma in the last 12 months. Population Information was obtained for all persons in the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS).

Methodology

All respondents were asked whether they had ever been told by a doctor or nurse that they have asthma. Non-remote respondents who answered yes were then asked whether they had symptoms of asthma or had taken treatment for asthma in the last 12 months. Both remote and non-remote respondents who had been told they have asthma were asked if they still get asthma, and if so, had they taken any medicine or tablets, or used a puffer for treatment in the last 2 weeks (excluding vitamins or herbal medicines). Non-remote respondents who identified as having been told they have asthma and who still get asthma were asked:

• whether their asthma had been worse or out of control in the last 12 months and the number of times they had gone to a hospital or emergency department as a result;
• whether they had a written action plan;
• whether they had been woken by asthma or wheezing in the last 2 weeks.
  

Remote respondents who identified as having been told they have asthma and who still get asthma were only asked whether they had been woken by asthma or wheezing in the last 2 weeks.

Data items

The data items and related output categories for this topic are available in Excel spreadsheet format from the Downloads page of this product.

Interpretation

Points to be considered in interpreting this topic include:

• Almost all cases of asthma were persons who reported having been told by a doctor or nurse they had asthma, however, estimates may not agree with data from other sources using different approaches to the identification of asthma
• If a person considered their asthma to be current but had not had symptoms or treatment, they are considered to not have current asthma (conditions status 3: ever told has condition, not current). However, they are still included in asthma actions and asthma condition-specific items. If a person considered their asthma to not be current but had had symptoms or treatment, they are considered to have current asthma (condition status 1: ever told has condition, still current and long-term).

Comparability with 2004-05 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS)

Results from the 2004-05 NATSIHS are considered comparable with the data collected in the 2012-13 survey.

Comparability with 2008 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Survey (NATSISS)

Asthma information was not collected in the 2008 NATSISS, therefore no comparisons can be made.

Comparability with 2011-12 National Health Survey (NHS)

Results from the 2012-13 NATSIHS are not considered comparable with the 2011-12 NHS due to a difference in the definition of having asthma between the two surveys. NATSIHS defines having asthma from the question 'do you still get asthma', while NHS defines having asthma from the question 'have you had any symptoms of asthma or taken treatment for asthma in the last 12 months'. As only non-remote respondents are asked the question about symptoms or treatment, only non-remote can be directly compared to NHS and only if the data item from this question is used instead of the asthma ICD-10 code from the condition level. However, the definition causes minimal difference in the results for non-remote and therefore it can be assume that comparisons between NATSIHS and NHS may still be made as long as the definition of having asthma for each survey is acknowledged.

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