Setting: The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase III survey, New Zealand.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of asthma symptoms and time trends by ethnicity between ISAAC Phase I (1992-1993) and Phase III (2001-2003).
Design: Information on asthma symptoms and environmental exposures was collected in children aged 6-7 years (n = 10,873) and adolescents aged 13-14 years (n = 13,317).
Results: In children, the prevalence of current wheeze was 28.5% in Māori (prevalence odds ratio [POR] = 1.49, 95%CI 1.32-1.68), and 25.2% in Pacific Islanders (POR 1.28, 95%CI 1.07-1.54) compared with 20.7% in Europeans/Pakeha. In adolescents, 29.9% of Māori (POR = 1.13, 95%CI 1.03-1.23) and 20.8% of Pacific Islanders (POR 0.74, 95%CI 0.62-0.87) experienced current wheeze compared to 28.6% of Europeans/Pakeha. Between Phases I and III, the prevalence of current wheeze increased significantly by 0.49%/year in Pacific Islanders, increased non-significantly by 0.12%/year in Māori, and decreased significantly by 0.25%/year in Europeans/Pakeha children. In adolescents, the prevalence of current wheeze increased by 0.05%/year in Pacific Islanders and decreased by 0.33%/year in Europeans/Pakeha and by 0.07%/year in Māori.
Conclusion: Ethnic differences in asthma symptom prevalence in New Zealand have increased. The reasons for this are unclear, but may reflect inequalities in access to health services.