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THE RELATION OF THE SEASONAL VARIATION OF ASTHMA TO THE WEATHER: AN AUSTRALIA‐WIDE SURVEY
Author(s) -
DERRICK E. H.,
SZYMANSKI S.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1754.1967.tb01689.x
Subject(s) - asthma , incidence (geometry) , medicine , seasonality , climatology , demography , variation (astronomy) , statistics , physics , mathematics , geology , sociology , astrophysics , optics
SYNOPSIS The monthly variation in the incidence of asthma is closely related to temperature. This study, based on the analysis of admissions to children's hospitals throughout Australia, confirms, for a wide range of climates, observations previously reported from Brisbane. The relation is twofold. In the months which normally have a mean temperature below 70°F (21.1°C), asthma increases with increase in temperature. When the temperature exceeds 70°, asthma decreases with increase in temperature, and this is further supported by observations in North Queensland. The incidence of asthma is also related to rainfall. In Perth, where most rain falls in winter, the major incidence of asthma follows in spring. In Brisbane, where most rain falls in summer, the major incidence of asthma follows in autumn. It is suggested that the geographical variation in the incidence of asthma may also be related to temperature and rainfall.