Smoking makes asthma expensive: a register-based study in Finland.

Setting: Chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/emphysema occur frequently among middle-aged and elderly asthma patients who smoke.

Objective: To test how much this comorbidity increases the use and costs of health services in comparison with asthma alone.

Design: A sample of 6000 adults with a clinical diagnosis of asthma was extracted from a nationwide health insurance register for a postal inquiry.

Trends in hospitalization for childhood asthma in Finland in 1996-2004.

Aim: To discuss trends based on data on all asthma-related admissions of children under 15 years of age.

Methods: retrospective analysis of records of the Finnish National Research and Development Centre for Welfare and Health in 1996-2004. The analysis was stratified for age.

What lies behind relief and worsening of asthma symptoms? A register-based study of adults with asthma and other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases in Finland.

Aims: To examine how subjects with relief or worsening of asthma symptoms differ in terms of gender, age, severity and duration of asthma, comorbidity, and difficulties with medication and daily life.

Methods: A postal inquiry among a sample of 6000 adults with clinically diagnosed asthma and/or other chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Results: Relief of asthma symptoms over a 12-month period was associated with a recent asthma diagnosis, within five years, in both sexes.

Comorbidity and medication load in adult asthmatics.

Objective: To examine comorbidity and the medication load among asthmatics. Design A self-administered postal inquiry.

Setting: A national register-based random sample of 6000 subjects aged 16 years or older entitled to special reimbursement for anti-asthmatic medication in Finland.

Achievements and shortcomings of Finnish asthma care.

Background: The Finnish National Asthma Programme was launched in 1994.

Aim: A postal self-completion questionnaire study was undertaken to evaluate how the guideline is working in the Finnish healthcare system.

Methods: A postal inquiry was sent to a random sample of 6,000 subjects aged 16+ years who were entitled to special reimbursement for anti-asthmatic medication and 4,657 subjects with self-reported asthma were included.