摘要：Objectives. The prevalence of asthma has been increasing throughout the world, but the reasonsfor the increase are unclear. Some have hypothesized that the increase is due to industrial andagricultural pollutants in urban and rural areas, respectively. The objective of this research was todetermine if the prevalence of asthma has increased in a remote area of Alaska where the populationlives a subsistence lifestyle and is not exposed to such pollution.Study Design. Retrospective review of medical records to determine the prevalence of asthma.Methods. We reviewed medical records of 1200 children, aged 0-10 years, who lived in the Yukon-Kuskokwum Delta (YKD) region of western Alaska between 1990 and 1999. The entire YKDpopulation receives health care from a single medical system, so records provide a complete pictureof each patient’s health care. Data collected from the medical records included demographics, andthe presence or absence of a diagnosis of asthma or reactive airway disease (RAD).Results. Over the 10-year period from 1990-1999, there was no significant change in the percentageof children who had a diagnosis of asthma (2.0% in 1990 and 3% in 1999), or RAD (9.6% in 1990and 9.6% in 1999).Conclusions. In a population of children not exposed to urban industrial, or rural agriculturalpollutants, there was no change in the prevalence of wheezing or asthma between 1990 and 1999.(Int J Circumpolar Health 2006; 65(4): 341-346).Keywords: asthma, environmental health, pollution
