§ Mr. CrausbyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population aged between 16 and 65 years have(a) asthma, (b) eczema, (c) abscesses, (d) hepatitis C, (e) hepatitis B and (f) HIV. [60992]
§ Ms JowellThe available information is summarised in the table.
Condition Estimated prevalence in adults in the general population Asthma 1 Asthma is estimated to affect about 4 per cent, of adults sufficiently severely to require medical supervision Eczema 2 The Health Survey for England 1996 reported that 13 per cent, of adults stated that a doctor had at some stage in their life diagnosed them as having eczema Abscesses The information requested is not available Hepatitis C Studies suggest that the prevalence of chronic carriage may be around 0.5 per cent. Hepatitis B Available data indicate that the prevalence of chronic hepatitis B infection is around 0.3 per cent. HIV 3 The current best estimate for diagnosed and undiagnosed HIV infections in England and Wales for 16–65 year olds is 0.07 per cent. 1 This estimate is drawn from Asthma: An Epidemiological Overview published by the Department of Health in 1995. 2 The Health Survey for England 1996 was carried out on behalf of the Department of Health by the Joint Health Surveys Unit and published earlier this year. Source:
3 Public Health Laboratory Service