Table 2.
Sample distribution and reported prevalence of asthma among adult men and women by selected characteristics, India, 2005–2006
| Men | Women | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asthma prevalence | Asthma prevalence | Asthma prevalence | |||||||
| Selected characteristic | n (%) | Cases n | % (95%CI) | n (%) | Cases n | % (95%CI) | n (%) | Cases n | % (95%CI) |
| India | 56 742 (100) | 1012 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) | 99 574 (100) | 1901 | 1.9 (1.8–2.0) | 157 186 (100) | 2913 | 1.9 (1.8–2.0) |
| Socio-economic and demographic factors | |||||||||
| Age, years | |||||||||
| 20–29 | 22 842 (40.3) | 218 | 1.0 (0.8–1.2) | 43 433 (43.4) | 484 | 1.1 (1.0–1.3) | 66 977 (42.6) | 752 | 1.1 (1.0–1.2) |
| 30–39 | 19 045 (33.6) | 337 | 1.8 (1.5–2.1) | 33 970 (33.7) | 714 | 2.1 (1.9–2.3) | 52 929 (33.7) | 1021 | 2.0 (1.8–2.2) |
| 40–49 | 14 855 (26.2) | 457 | 3.1 (2.7–3.5) | 22 802 (23.0) | 702 | 3.1 (2.8–3.4) | 37 280 (23.7) | 1067 | 3.1 (2.8–3.8) |
| Marital status | |||||||||
| Currently married | 43 133 (76.0) | 825 | 1.9 (1.7–2.1) | 86 363 (86.7) | 1653 | 1.9 (1.8–2.0) | 123 432 (78.5) | 2318 | 1.9 (1.8–2.0) |
| Widowed/divorced/separated/deserted | 937 (1.7) | 52 | 5.6 (3.5–8.8) | 5 719 (5.7) | 165 | 2.9 (2.4–3.5) | 6 549 (4.2) | 199 | 3.3 (2.7–4.0) |
| Not married | 12 672 (22.3) | 135 | 1.1 (0.9–1.3) | 7 493 (7.5) | 83 | 1.1 (0.9–1.4) | 27 205 (17.3) | 323 | 1.1 (0.9–1.3) |
| Education* | |||||||||
| Illiterate | 11 607 (20.5) | 296 | 2.6 (2.1–3.1) | 45 113 (45.3) | 939 | 2.1 (1.9–2.3) | 44 996 (28.6) | 949 | 2.2 (2.0–2.4) |
| Literate, < middle school | 10 030 (17.7) | 229 | 2.3 (1.9–2.8) | 14 463 (14.5) | 305 | 2.1 (1.8–2.4) | 23 423 (14.9) | 512 | 2.2 (1.9–2.5) |
| Completed middle school | 26 783 (47.2) | 411 | 1.5 (1.3–1.8) | 31 665 (31.8) | 542 | 1.7 (1.5–1.9) | 66 355 (42.2) | 1097 | 1.6 (1.5–1.8) |
| Completed high school and above | 8 311 (14.7) | 77 | 0.9 (0.7–1.3) | 8 328 (8.4) | 114 | 1.4 (1.1–1.7) | 22 381 (14.2) | 282 | 1.2 (1.0–1.4) |
| Employment status | |||||||||
| Not employed | 3 945 (7.0) | 66 | 1.7 (1.2–2.3) | 60 897 (61.2) | 1097 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) | 67 066 (42.7) | 1210 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Employed | 52 780 (93.0) | 946 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) | 38 539 (38.8) | 799 | 2.1 (1.9–2.3) | 89 908 (57.3) | 1625 | 1.9 (1.8–2.0) |
| Religion | |||||||||
| Hindu | 46 727 (82.4) | 804 | 1.7 (1.6–1.9) | 80 648 (81.1) | 1493 | 1.9 (1.7–2.0) | 115 231 (73.4) | 2012 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Muslim | 6 841 (12.1) | 158 | 2.3 (1.8–3.0) | 12 940 (13.0) | 289 | 2.2 (1.9–2.6) | 20 054 (12.8) | 364 | 2.3 (2.0–2.6) |
| Other† | 3 166 (5.6) | 51 | 1.6 (1.1–2.3) | 5 877 (5.9) | 116 | 2.0 (1.6–2.4) | 21 757 (13.9) | 462 | 1.8 (1.6–2.2) |
| Caste/Tribes‡ | |||||||||
| Scheduled Caste | 10 726 (19.5) | 204 | 1.9 (1.5–2.4) | 18 386 (19.0) | 315 | 1.7 (1.5–2.0) | 26 013 (17.3) | 456 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) |
| Scheduled Tribe | 4 710 (8.6) | 110 | 2.3 (1.8–3.1) | 7 935 (8.2) | 153 | 1.9 (1.6–2.4) | 19 901 (13.2) | 421 | 2.1 (1.8–2.5) |
| Other Backward Class | 22 047 (40.1) | 316 | 1.4 (1.2–1.7) | 39 236 (40.6) | 682 | 1.7 (1.6–1.9) | 52 152 (34.6) | 861 | 1.6 (1.5–1.8) |
| Others | 17 495 (31.8) | 338 | 1.9 (1.7–2.3) | 31 019 (32.1) | 681 | 2.2 (2.0–2.4) | 52 611 (34.9) | 9891 | 2.1 (1.9–2.3) |
| Wealth index | |||||||||
| Lowest | 9 103 (16.0) | 246 | 2.7 (2.2–3.3) | 17 286 (17.4) | 334 | 1.9 (1.7–2.2) | 16 726 (10.6) | 358 | 2.2 (2.0–2.5) |
| Second | 10 205 (18.0) | 193 | 1.9 (1.5–2.4) | 18 546 (18.6) | 389 | 2.1 (1.8–2.4) | 21 795 (13.9) | 421 | 2.0 (1.8–2.3) |
| Middle | 11 533 (20.3) | 187 | 1.6 (1.3–2.0) | 19 698 (19.8) | 368 | 1.9 (1.6–2.1) | 29 922 (19.0) | 565 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) |
| Fourth | 12 634 (22.3) | 218 | 1.7 (1.4–2.1) | 20 925 (21.0) | 394 | 1.9 (1.7–2.1) | 39 116 (24.9) | 685 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) |
| Highest | 13 266 (23.4) | 167 | 1.3 (1.0–1.5) | 23 119 (23.2) | 416 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) | 49 627 (31.6) | 811 | 1.6 (1.5–1.8) |
| Residence | |||||||||
| Urban | 20 779 (36.6) | 297 | 1.4 (1.2–1.7) | 3 3355 (33.5) | 608 | 1.8 (1.7–2.0) | 75 868 (48.3) | 1289 | 1.7 (1.5–1.8) |
| Rural | 35 963 (63.4) | 715 | 2.0 (1.8–2.2) | 66 219 (66.5) | 1293 | 2.0 (1.8–2.1) | 81 318 (51.7) | 1551 | 2.0 (1.9–2.1) |
| Geographic region | |||||||||
| North | 12 603 (22.2) | 194 | 1.5 (1.3–1.8) | 13 286 (13.3) | 181 | 1.4 (1.2–1.6) | 34 018 (21.6) | 408 | 1.5 (1.3–1.6) |
| North-east | 2 313 (4.1) | 42 | 1.8 (1.4–2.4) | 3 978 (4.0) | 83 | 2.1 (1.8–2.5) | 27 452 (17.5) | 631 | 2.0 (1.7–2.3) |
| Central | 12 971 (22.9) | 169 | 1.3 (1.1–1.6) | 22 250 (22.3) | 295 | 1.3 (1.1–1.5) | 29 048 (18.5) | 360 | 1.3 (1.2–1.5) |
| East | 11 810 (20.8) | 298 | 2.5 (2.1–3.1) | 21 913 (22.0) | 580 | 2.7 (2.4–3.0) | 19 349 (12.3) | 499 | 2.6 (2.4–2.9) |
| West | 9 279 (16.4) | 191 | 2.1 (1.7–2.5) | 15 052 (15.1) | 279 | 1.9 (1.6–2.2) | 22 240 (14.1) | 476 | 1.9 (1.7–2.2) |
| South | 7 767 (13.7) | 117 | 1.5 (1.2–2.0) | 23 096 (23.2) | 482 | 2.1 (1.9–2.3) | 25 079 (16.0) | 466 | 1.9 (1.8–2.2) |
| Environmental factors | |||||||||
| Cooking fuel use§ | |||||||||
| Clean | 18 020 (31.8) | 254 | 1.4 (1.2–1.7) | 29 647 (29.8) | 507 | 1.7 (1.5–1.9) | 68 200 (43.4) | 1134 | 1.6 (1.5–1.7) |
| Unclean | 38 711 (68.2) | 758 | 2.0 (1.8–2.2) | 69 914 (70.2) | 1393 | 2.0 (1.9–2.1) | 88 963 (56.6) | 1706 | 2.0 (1.9–2.1) |
| House type¶ | |||||||||
| Pucca | 28 329 (50.2) | 435 | 1.5 (1.4–1.7) | 48 178 (48.6) | 898 | 1.9 (1.7–2.0) | 86 114 (55.1) | 1452 | 1.7 (1.6–1.9) |
| Semi-pucca/kachha | 28 111 (49.8) | 571 | 2.0 (1.8–2.3) | 50 930 (51.4) | 1000 | 2.0 (1.8–2.1) | 70 038 (44.9) | 1375 | 2.0 (1.9–2.1) |
| Availability of a separate kitchen | |||||||||
| No | 17 028 (39.8) | 312 | 1.8 (1.6–2.2) | 28 381 (38.3) | 484 | 1.7 (1.5–1.9) | 41 094 (32.8) | 727 | 1.8 (1.6–1.9) |
| Yes | 25 708 (60.2) | 401 | 1.6 (1.4–1.8) | 45 670 (61.7) | 881 | 1.9 (1.8–2.1) | 84 346 (67.2) | 1446 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Crowding, persons/room | |||||||||
| <2 | 12 762 (22.5) | 218 | 1.7 (1.4–2.1) | 21 429 (21.5) | 486 | 2.3 (2.0–2.5) | 41 526 (26.4) | 803 | 2.1 (1.9–2.3) |
| 2–4 | 27 168 (47.9) | 487 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) | 47 881 (48.1) | 903 | 1.9 (1.7–2.1) | 75 113 (47.8) | 1326 | 1.9 (1.7–2.0) |
| ⩾4 | 16 786 (29.6) | 307 | 1.8 (1.6–2.2) | 30 191 (30.3) | 510 | 1.7 (1.5–1.9) | 40 416 (25.7) | 708 | 1.7 (1.6–1.9) |
| BMI and lifestyle factors | |||||||||
| BMI, kg/m2# | |||||||||
| <16 | 1 983 (3.5) | 105 | 5.3 (4.0–7.1) | 5 763 (5.8) | 209 | 3.6 (3.0–4.4) | 6 111 (3.9) | 210 | 4.1 (3.5–4.8) |
| 16.0–16.9 | 3 491 (6.2) | 71 | 2.0 (1.5–2.8) | 7 731 (7.8) | 139 | 1.8 (1.4–2.3) | 9 014 (5.7) | 185 | 1.9 (1.6–2.2) |
| 17.0–18.4 | 6 424 (11.3) | 135 | 2.1 (1.6–2.7) | 11 497 (11.6) | 174 | 1.5 (1.2–1.9) | 14 782 (9.4) | 247 | 1.7 (1.5–2.0) |
| 18.5–22.9 | 30 076 (53.0) | 486 | 1.6 (1.4–1.8) | 46 892 (47.1) | 716 | 1.5 (1.4–1.7) | 76 894 (48.9) | 1204 | 1.6 (1.4–1.7) |
| 23.0–24.9 | 5 635 (9.9) | 89 | 1.6 (1.2–2.2) | 9 454 (9.5) | 199 | 2.1 (1.8–2.5) | 17 629 (11.2) | 310 | 1.9 (1.6–2.2) |
| 25.0–29.9 | 5 080 (9.0) | 82 | 1.6 (1.2–2.2) | 10 978 (11.0) | 295 | 2.7 (2.3–3.1) | 19 282 (12.3) | 462 | 2.4 (2.1–2.7) |
| ⩾30 | 811 (1.4) | 18 | 2.2 (1.1–4.5) | 3 191 (3.2) | 103 | 3.2 (2.6–4.1) | 5 003 (3.2) | 137 | 3.0 (2.4–3.8) |
| Data missing | 3 242 (5.7) | 27 | 0.8 (0.5–1.4) | 4 016 (4.0) | 62 | 1.5 (1.1–2.1) | 8 430 (5.4) | 83 | 1.2 (0.9–1.6) |
| Tobacco smoking | |||||||||
| Not smoking | 35 422 (62.4) | 512 | 1.5 (1.3–1.6) | 97 738 (98.2) | 71 | 1.9 (1.8–2.0) | 134 542 (85.6) | 2337 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Currently smoking | 21 321 (37.6) | 500 | 2.4 (2.1–2.7) | 1 835 (1.8) | 1830 | 3.9 (2.8–5.3) | 22 644 (14.6) | 503 | 2.5 (2.2–2.8) |
| Alcohol consumption | |||||||||
| Never | 35 915 (63.3) | 608 | 1.7 (1.5–1.9) | 97 101 (97.5) | 1834 | 1.9 (1.8–2.0) | 131 662 (83.8) | 2322 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Ever | 20 825 (36.7) | 404 | 1.9 (1.7–2.2) | 2 473 (2.5) | 66 | 2.7 (2.0–3.7) | 25 522 (16.2) | 518 | 2.0 (1.8–2.3) |
| Frequency of watching TV | |||||||||
| Not at all | 10 517 (18.5) | 295 | 2.8 (2.3–3.4) | 35 399 (35.6) | 754 | 2.1 (1.9–2.4) | 33 403 (21.3) | 741 | 2.3 (2.1–2.5) |
| Less than once a week | 11 420 (20.1) | 191 | 1.7 (1.4–2.1) | 10 438 (10.5) | 185 | 1.8 (1.5–2.1) | 19 641 (12.5) | 345 | 1.7 (1.5–2.0) |
| At least once a week | 9081 (16.0) | 170 | 1.9 (1.5–2.3) | 10 952 (11.0) | 195 | 1.8 (1.5–2.1) | 21 060 (13.4) | 378 | 1.8 (1.6–2.1) |
| Almost every day | 25 717 (45.3) | 357 | 1.4 (1.2–1.6) | 42 763 (43.0) | 767 | 1.8 (1.7–2.0) | 83 055 (52.8) | 1376 | 1.6 (1.5–1.8) |
| Dietary intake | |||||||||
| Milk or milk products | |||||||||
| Daily | 26 307 (46.4) | 343 | 1.3 (1.1–1.5) | 40 366 (40.5) | 667 | 1.7 (1.5–1.8) | 66 128 (42.1) | 968 | 1.5 (1.4–1.6) |
| Weekly | 11 554 (20.4) | 241 | 2.1 (1.7–2.5) | 15 071 (15.1) | 253 | 1.7 (1.4–2.0) | 26 575 (16.9) | 467 | 1.9 (1.6–2.1) |
| Occasionally | 14 757 (26.0) | 296 | 2.0 (1.7–2.4) | 32 918 (33.1) | 664 | 2.0 (1.8–2.2) | 46 541 (29.6) | 925 | 2.0 (1.9–2.2) |
| Never | 4 114 (7.3) | 132 | 3.2 (2.4–4.3) | 11 202 (11.3) | 316 | 2.8 (2.5–3.2) | 17 911 (11.4) | 480 | 2.9 (2.6–3.3) |
| Pulses and beans | |||||||||
| Daily | 29 863 (52.6) | 511 | 1.7 (1.5–1.9) | 52 440 (52.7) | 954 | 1.8 (1.7–2.0) | 78 898 (50.2) | 1389 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Weekly | 21 705 (38.3) | 388 | 1.8 (1.5–2.1) | 36 597 (36.8) | 715 | 2.0 (1.8–2.2) | 59 040 (37.6) | 1045 | 1.9 (1.8–2.1) |
| Occasionally | 4 660 (8.2) | 99 | 2.1 (1.6–2.9) | 9 663 (9.7) | 200 | 2.1 (1.8–2.5) | 17 500 (11.1) | 362 | 2.1 (1.8–2.4) |
| Never | 505 (0.9) | 14 | 2.8 (1.3–6.1) | 852 (0.9) | 30 | 3.5 (2.3–5.6) | 1 716 (1.1) | 44 | 3.3 (2.2–4.5) |
| Green leafy vegetables | |||||||||
| Daily | 33 982 (59.9) | 595 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) | 64 095 (64.4) | 1178 | 1.8 (1.7–2.0) | 99 070 (63.0) | 1736 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Weekly | 19 270 (34.0) | 343 | 1.8 (1.5–2.1) | 28 606 (28.7) | 581 | 2.0 (1.8–2.3) | 47 171 (30.0) | 880 | 1.9 (1.8–2.1) |
| Never/Occasionally | 3 480 (6.1) | 73 | 2.1 (1.5–2.9) | 6 840 (6.9) | 142 | 2.1 (1.7–2.5) | 10 896 (6.9) | 224 | 2.1 (1.8–2.5) |
| Fruits | |||||||||
| Daily | 7 320 (12.9) | 104 | 1.4 (1.1–1.8) | 12 789 (12.9) | 191 | 1.5 (1.3–1.8) | 27 557 (17.5) | 382 | 1.5 (1.3–1.7) |
| Weekly | 19 368 (34.1) | 261 | 1.3 (1.1–1.6) | 26 731 (26.9) | 474 | 1.8 (1.6–2.0) | 51 389 (32.7) | 802 | 1.6 (1.5–1.8) |
| Occasionally | 28 484 (50.2) | 561 | 2.0 (1.7–2.2) | 56 336 (56.6) | 1127 | 2.0 (1.9–2.2) | 74 118 (47.2) | 1534 | 2.0 (1.9–2.1) |
| Never | 1 546 (2.7) | 86 | 5.6 (3.9–7.9) | 3 631 (3.6) | 108 | 3.0 (2.3–3.8) | 4 024 (2.6) | 122 | 3.8 (3.0–4.6) |
| Eggs | |||||||||
| Daily | 2 931 (5.2) | 39 | 1.3 (0.9–2.1) | 3 475 (3.5) | 81 | 2.3 (1.8–3.1) | 8 217 (5.2) | 174 | 1.9 (1.5–2.4) |
| Weekly | 20 682 (36.5) | 392 | 1.9 (1.7–2.2) | 28 778 (28.9) | 584 | 2.0 (1.8–2.3) | 52 531 (33.4) | 990 | 2.0 (1.8–2.1) |
| Occasionally | 19 786 (34.9) | 385 | 1.9 (1.7–2.3) | 32 635 (32.8) | 643 | 2.0 (1.8–2.2) | 54 375 (34.6) | 999 | 0.4 (0.1–1.3) |
| Never | 13 330 (23.5) | 196 | 1.5 (1.2–1.8) | 34 647 (34.8) | 591 | 1.7 (1.5–1.9) | 41 996 (26.7) | 674 | 1.6 (1.5–1.8) |
| Fish | |||||||||
| Daily | 3 706 (6.5) | 78 | 2.1 (1.5–2.9) | 6 505 (6.5) | 194 | 3.0 (2.5–3.5) | 12 877 (8.2) | 339 | 2.7 (2.3–3.1) |
| Weekly | 14 414 (25.4) | 298 | 2.1 (1.7–2.5) | 22 070 (22.2) | 497 | 2.3 (2.0–2.5) | 40 159 (25.6) | 794 | 2.2 (2.0–2.4) |
| Occasionally | 21 818 (38.5) | 388 | 1.8 (1.5–2.1) | 34 242 (34.4) | 655 | 1.9 (1.7–2.1) | 56 280 (35.8) | 1012 | 1.9 (1.7–2.0) |
| Never | 16 782 (29.6) | 248 | 1.5 (1.3–1.8) | 36 724 (36.9) | 554 | 1.5 (1.4–1.7) | 47 804 (30.4) | 695 | 1.5 (1.4–1.6) |
| Chicken or meat | |||||||||
| Daily | 706 (1.2) | 16 | 2.3 (1.3–3.9) | 839 (0.8) | 10 | 1.2 (0.6–2.4) | 3 133 (2.0) | 48 | 1.6 (1.1–2.5) |
| Weekly | 15 609 (27.5) | 271 | 1.7 (1.5–2.0) | 21 938 (22.0) | 453 | 2.1 (1.8–2.3) | 44 620 (28.4) | 841 | 1.9 (1.8–2.1) |
| Occasionally | 26 135 (46.1) | 534 | 2.0 (1.8–2.3) | 42 222 (42.0) | 886 | 2.1 (1.9–2.3) | 66 233 (42.2) | 1321 | 2.1 (1.9–2.2) |
| Never | 14 272 (25.2) | 191 | 1.3 (1.1–1.6) | 34 537 (34.7) | 552 | 1.6 (1.4–1.8) | 43 131 (27.5) | 629 | 1.5 (1.4–1.7) |
*
Illiterate = 0 years of education; literate but completed < middle school = 1–5 years of education; completed middle school = 6–8 years of education; completed high school or more = ⩾9 years of education.
†
Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jain, Jewish, Zoroastrian.
‡
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are identified by the Government of India as socially and economically backward and needing protection from social injustice and exploitation; ‘Other Backward Class’ is a diverse collection of intermediate castes that were considered low in the traditional caste hierarchy but are clearly above Scheduled Caste; ‘Others’ is a default residual group that enjoys higher status in the caste hierarchy (see Appendix).
§
Clean fuels = kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas / natural gas, biogas or electricity; unclean fuels = biomass fuels such as wood, straw/shrubs/grass, agricultural crop waste, dung cakes, others; and solid fuels such as coal / lignite or charcoal.
¶
Pucca houses are made from high-quality materials such as bricks, tiles, cement and concrete throughout, including roof, walls and floor; kachha houses are made from mud, thatch or other low-quality materials; semi-pucca houses are made from a combination of the above.
#
In NFHS-3, all respondents were weighed using a solar-powered scale with an accuracy of ±100 g. Their height was measured using an adjustable wooden measuring board, specifically designed to provide accurate measurements (to the nearest 0.1 cm). Women who were pregnant at the time of the survey or who had given birth during the 2 months preceding the survey, were excluded from these anthropometric measurements.
CI = confidence interval; BMI = body mass index; NFHS-3 = National Family Health Survey 3.