Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents

Objective To examine the overall incidence rate and trends in emergency department (ED) presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in regional Australia with a particular focus on First Nations Australians.Design A retrospective analysis of data from the Emergency Department Information S...

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Main Authors: Peter D Sly, Rachel L Peters, Jennifer J Koplin, Gulam Khandaker, Desalegn Markos Shifti, Craig F Munns, Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam, Diane Maresco-Pennisi, Renarta Whitcombe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-03-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e091482.full
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author Peter D Sly
Rachel L Peters
Jennifer J Koplin
Gulam Khandaker
Desalegn Markos Shifti
Craig F Munns
Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam
Diane Maresco-Pennisi
Renarta Whitcombe
author_facet Peter D Sly
Rachel L Peters
Jennifer J Koplin
Gulam Khandaker
Desalegn Markos Shifti
Craig F Munns
Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam
Diane Maresco-Pennisi
Renarta Whitcombe
author_sort Peter D Sly
collection DOAJ
description Objective To examine the overall incidence rate and trends in emergency department (ED) presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in regional Australia with a particular focus on First Nations Australians.Design A retrospective analysis of data from the Emergency Department Information System.Setting This study used data from 12 public hospitals in Central Queensland, Australia, a region encompassing regional, rural and remote outback areas.Participants A total of 813 112 ED presentations between 2018 and 2023.Outcome measure Asthma and allergic diseases were identified using the International Classification of Diseases-Tenth Revision-Australian Modification codes.Results There were 13 273 asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations, with an overall prevalence of 1.6% (95% CI 1.6, 1.7). There was a significantly higher incidence rate of asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations among First Nations Australians at 177.5 per 10 000 person-years (95% CI 169.3, 186.0) compared with 98.9 per 10 000 person-years (95% CI 97.2, 100.8) among Australians of other descents. The incidence rates, with corresponding 95% CIs, of the four most common cases among First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents, respectively, were as follows: asthma (87.8 (82.0, 93.8) and 40.2 (39.0, 41.3)), unspecified allergy (55.3 (50.8, 60.2) and 36.0 (34.9, 37.1)), atopic/allergic contact dermatitis (17.1 (14.6, 19.9) and 10.6 (10.0, 11.2)) and anaphylaxis (7.2 (5.6, 9.1) and 6.2 (5.7, 6.6)).Conclusion Our findings highlight a significantly higher rate of asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations among First Nations Australians compared with Australians of other descents. This underscores the urgent need for targeted healthcare interventions integrating culturally appropriate approaches, alongside additional research to understand causality.
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spelling doaj-art-236a8939e45f4da783eb4a29e080a5872025-08-20T02:47:21ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-03-0115310.1136/bmjopen-2024-091482Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descentsPeter D Sly0Rachel L Peters1Jennifer J Koplin2Gulam Khandaker3Desalegn Markos Shifti4Craig F Munns5Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam6Diane Maresco-Pennisi7Renarta Whitcombe8Children’s Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaMurdoch Children`s Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaCentral Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, AustraliaCentre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, AustraliaCentral Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, AustraliaObjective To examine the overall incidence rate and trends in emergency department (ED) presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in regional Australia with a particular focus on First Nations Australians.Design A retrospective analysis of data from the Emergency Department Information System.Setting This study used data from 12 public hospitals in Central Queensland, Australia, a region encompassing regional, rural and remote outback areas.Participants A total of 813 112 ED presentations between 2018 and 2023.Outcome measure Asthma and allergic diseases were identified using the International Classification of Diseases-Tenth Revision-Australian Modification codes.Results There were 13 273 asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations, with an overall prevalence of 1.6% (95% CI 1.6, 1.7). There was a significantly higher incidence rate of asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations among First Nations Australians at 177.5 per 10 000 person-years (95% CI 169.3, 186.0) compared with 98.9 per 10 000 person-years (95% CI 97.2, 100.8) among Australians of other descents. The incidence rates, with corresponding 95% CIs, of the four most common cases among First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents, respectively, were as follows: asthma (87.8 (82.0, 93.8) and 40.2 (39.0, 41.3)), unspecified allergy (55.3 (50.8, 60.2) and 36.0 (34.9, 37.1)), atopic/allergic contact dermatitis (17.1 (14.6, 19.9) and 10.6 (10.0, 11.2)) and anaphylaxis (7.2 (5.6, 9.1) and 6.2 (5.7, 6.6)).Conclusion Our findings highlight a significantly higher rate of asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations among First Nations Australians compared with Australians of other descents. This underscores the urgent need for targeted healthcare interventions integrating culturally appropriate approaches, alongside additional research to understand causality.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e091482.full
spellingShingle Peter D Sly
Rachel L Peters
Jennifer J Koplin
Gulam Khandaker
Desalegn Markos Shifti
Craig F Munns
Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam
Diane Maresco-Pennisi
Renarta Whitcombe
Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents
BMJ Open
title Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents
title_full Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents
title_fullStr Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents
title_full_unstemmed Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents
title_short Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents
title_sort emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in central queensland australia a comparative analysis between first nations australians and australians of other descents
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/3/e091482.full
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