§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the prevalence of asthma among children under 16, broken down by health authority. [164815]
251W
§ Dr. LadymanWe do not collect the information requested on the prevalence of asthma centrally. Asthma is estimated to affect around 4 to 6 per cent. of children and 4 per cent. of adults sufficiently severely to require medical supervision. We do, however, have some data on the number of hospital admissions as set out in the following table.
Primary diagnosis (1CD-10 J45, J46) Asthma age on admission 0–15 years. Count of finished admission episodes by Strategic
Health Authority (SHA) of Treatment NHS hospitals, England 2002–03
Strategic HA of Treatment Finished Admission
Episodes
Norfolk. Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA 1,049 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA 754 Essex HA 455 North West London HA 732 North Central London HA 625 North East London HA 853 South East London HA 879 South West London HA 661 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA 708 County Durham and Tees Valley HA 800 North and East Yorkshire And Northern Lincolnshire HA 882 West Yorkshire HA 1,306 Cumbria and Lancashire HA 1.098 Greater Manchester HA 1,980 Cheshire and Merseyside HA 1,598 Thames Valley HA 717 Hampshire And Isle of Wight HA 662 Kent and Medway HA 638 Surrey and Sussex HA 961 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA 868 South West Peninsula HA 615 Dorset and Somerset HA 562 South Yorkshire HA 625 Trent HA 881 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA 678 Shropshire and Staffordshire HA 676 Birmingham and The Black Country HA 1,755 Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA 687 England 24,705 A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. Please note that admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 14 (seven prior to 2002–03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.
Figures are grossed for both coverage and missing/ invalid clinical data, except for 2001–02 and 2002–03, which are not yet adjusted for shortfalls.
§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the treatment of asthma cost the NHS in each of the last five years. [164816]
§ Dr. LadymanThis information is not held centrally. However we estimate that the net ingredient cost of prescriptions dispensed in the community for the treatment of asthma in England for the last five years is set out in the following table:252W
Net ingredient cost of all asthma drugs dispensed in the community in England, 1998 to 2002
£ Million BNF Section 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Net ingredient cost of all asthma drugs dispensed in the community in England, 1998 to 2002
£ Million BNF Section 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 BNF 3.1 220.0 230.9 230.3 238.5 239.6 BNF 3.2 266.9 274.5 283.2 308.7 338.1 BNF 3.3 11.1 14.4 14.9 15.9 17.2 BNF 21.1.2 2.1 2.0 2.3 2.7 3.0 BNF 21.1.10 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 BNF 21.12 1.7 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.5 Total 501.9 523.4 532.2 567.3 599.5 Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) data from the Prescription Pricing Authority. Asthma drugs are included in British National Formulary (BNF) Sections 3.1 (Bronchodilators), 3.2 (Corticbsteroids), and 3.3 (Cromoglicate, related therapy and leukotriene receptor antagonists). Appliances used in the treatment of asthma are contained within the Prescription Pricing Authority pseudo British National Formulary sections 21.1.2, 21.1.10 and 21.12.
The prescription information is from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system from the Prescription Pricing Authority, and shows data for all prescriptions items that are dispensed in the community in England. As well as prescriptions prescribed in GP practices, prescriptions prescribed in hospitals that have been dispensed in the community are included. Private prescriptions, and prescriptions dispensed in hospitals are not included.
The net ingredient cost refers to the cost (which the dispenser is reimbursed) of the drug before discounts and does not include any dispensing costs or fees. It does not include any adjustment for income obtained where a prescription charge is paid at the time the prescription is dispensed, or where the patient has purchased a prepayment certificate.
§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has conducted into the reasons for increases in asthma rates in the last 25 years. [165259]
§ Dr. LadymanA range of research projects on the epidemiology of allergies have recently been completed or are ongoing. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood was formed in 1991. Phase one measured the prevalence of childhood asthma, hayfever and atopic eczema for international comparisons. Phase two began in 1998 and involves more intensive studies in a smaller number of countries. The Department funded the United Kingdom contribution to phase two.
King's College London has led a £2.1 million European Commission-funded prospective study of the incidence and prognosis of allergy, allergic disease and low lung function in adults living in Europe. King's College is also participating in the Global Allergy and Asthma European Network, launched on 12 February 2004.
253WThis European and international research activity will contribute to evidence on the possible causes of the increase in asthma rates in the UK and other European countries.
§ Mr. WatsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has e examined concerning asthma and a remodelling of the body's airways. [165406]
§ Dr. LadymanIn April 2002, the National Asthma Campaign published its consultation document, "Where next in basic asthma research?" A copy of the report was sent to the Department. The charity identified seven key areas of basic asthma research, including airway remodelling, in people with asthma.