Asthma and allergies in Jamaican children aged 2-17 years: a cross-sectional prevalence survey.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and severity of asthma and allergies as well as risk factors for asthma among Jamaican children aged 2-17 years.

Design: A cross-sectional, community-based prevalence survey using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. The authors selected a representative sample of 2017 children using stratified, multistage cluster sampling design using enumeration districts as primary sampling units.

A review of equity issues in quantitative studies on health inequalities: the case of asthma in adults.

Background: The term 'inequities' refers to avoidable differences rooted in injustice. This review examined whether or not, and how, quantitative studies identifying inequalities in risk factors and health service utilization for asthma explicitly addressed underlying inequities. Asthma was chosen because recent decades have seen strong increases in asthma prevalence in many international settings, and inequalities in risk factors and related outcomes.

The Jamaica asthma and allergies national prevalence survey: rationale and methods.

Background: Asthma is a significant public health problem in the Caribbean. Prevalence surveys using standardized measures of asthma provide valid prevalence estimates to facilitate regional and international comparisons and monitoring of trends. This paper describes methods used in the Jamaica Asthma and Allergies National Prevalence Survey, challenges associated with this survey and strategies used to overcome these challenges.