§ Mr. FearnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are recognised as suffering from asthma currently; and how many were registered(a) in 1992 and (b) in 1987. [4595]
§ Ms JowellThere are no comprehensive data on the number of children with asthma. It is estimated to affect between 4 and 6 per cent. of children in England sufficiently severely to require regular medical supervision.
According to data collected by the Royal College of General Practitioners, the mean weekly incidence of new general practitioner episodes of asthma in children per 100,000 population in England in selected years was as follows:
Age group 0–4 5–14 1987 74.4 58.9 1992 147.8 84.2 19961 104.7 63.7 Source:
Royal College of General Practitioners Weekly Returns Service.
Note:
1Most recent year available.