TABLE 2

Time trends in known environmental trigger factors through the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase III and Global Asthma Network (GAN) in the two age groups of children

6–7-year age group13–14-year age group
GAN (n=20084)ISAAC Phase III (n=47166)p-value#GAN (n=25887)ISAAC Phase III (n=52289)p-value#
Paracetamol use in last 12 months
 Never6639 (33.1)8945 (19.0)0.0009838 (38.0)14 689 (28.1)0.000
 At least once a year9496 (47.3)21 499 (45.6)10 283 (39.7)18 749 (35.9)
 At least once per month2104 (10.5)5940 (12.6)4441 (17.2)9530 (18.2)
 No response1845 (9.2)10 782 (22.8)1325 (5.1)9321 (17.8)
Farm animals during pregnancy
 Yes1307 (6.5)3357 (7.1)0.000
 No18 051 (89.9)34 474 (73.1)
 No response726 (3.6)9335 (19.8)
Farm animals during first year of life
 Yes1059 (5.3)4267 (9.0)0.000
 No18 297 (91.1)33 585 (71.2)
 No response728 (3.6)9314 (19.8)
Trucks pass through the street
 Never9999 (49.8)9451 (20.0)0.37411 063 (42.7)10 978 (21.0)0.000
 Seldom (not often)8631 (43.0)13 793 (29.2)9573 (37.0)15 354 (29.4)
 Frequently through the day1028 (5.1)8276 (17.6)2902 (11.2)9550 (18.3)
 Almost the whole day426 (2.1)5808 (12.3)1268 (4.9)2718 (5.2)
 No response09838 (20.9)1081 (4.2)13 689 (26.2)
Child ever breastfed
 Yes16 569 (82.5)35 215 (74.7)0.000
 No2728 (13.6)2549 (5.4)
 No response787 (3.9)9402 (19.9)
Cat in the home during first year of life
 Yes991 (4.9)3756 (8.0)0.000
 No18 360 (91.4)34 107 (72.3)
 No response733 (3.7)9303 (19.7)
Cat in the home in last 12 months
 Yes985 (4.9)3632 (7.7)0.0003221 (12.4)8491 (16.2)0.000
 No17 875 (89.0)34 277 (72.7)22 041 (85.1)35 480 (67.9)
 No response1224 (6.09)9257 (19.63)625 (2.5)8318 (15.9)
Dog in the home during first year of life
 Yes1102 (5.5)4102 (8.7)0.000
 No18 280 (91.0)33 836 (71.7)
 No response702 (3.5)9228 (19.6)
Dog in the home in last 12 months
 Yes1200 (6.0)3779 (8.0)0.0003930 (15.2)7934 (15.2)0.000
 No18 150 (90.4)34 183 (72.5)21 394 (82.6)36 000 (68.8)
 No response734 (3.6)9204 (19.5)563 (2.2)8355 (16.0)
Fast food
 Never or only occasionally13 286 (66.2)10 754 (22.8)0.00016 535 (63.9)12 553 (24.0)0.000
 Once or twice per week3445 (17.2)7383 (15.7)5200 (20.1)12 018 (23.0)
 Most or all days462 (2.3)9865 (20.9)1690 (6.5)10 236 (19.6)
 No response2891 (13.3)19 164 (40.3)2462 (9.5)17 482 (33.4)
Antibiotic in first year of life
 Yes3350 (16.7)17 706 (37.5)0.373
 No16 734 (83.3)17 711 (37.6)
 No response011 749 (24.9)
Fresh fruit
 Never or only occasionally4590 (22.9)11 179 (23.7)0.0007698 (29.7)12 031 (23.0)0.000
 Once or twice per week6841 (34.1)12 503 (26.5)6106 (23.6)14 409 (27.6)
 Most or all days6341 (31.6)11 511 (24.4)9255 (35.8)15 061 (28.8)
 No response2312 (11.4)11 973 (25.4)2828 (10.9)10 788 (20.6)
Vegetables
 Never or only occasionally5565 (27.7)12 291 (26.1)0.00013 150 (50.8)12 721 (24.3)0.000
 Once or twice per week5792 (28.8)9395 (19.9)4666 (18.0)11 230 (21.5)
 Most or all days5842 (29.1)13 726 (29.1)5193 (20.1)17 681 (33.8)
 No response2885 (14.4)11 754 (24.9)2878 (11.1)10 657 (20.4)
Mother smoking during first year of life
 Yes209 (1.0)385 (0.8)0.000
 No19 194 (95.6)37 637 (79.8)
 No response681 (3.4)9144 (19.4)

Data are presented as n (%), unless otherwise stated. #: Chi-squared test. : questions included in the 6–7-year age group questionnaire only.