Epidemiology of childhood asthma

Abstract

Chapter 3 ( "Epidemiology" ) of Japanese Pediatric Guideline for The Treatment and Management of Asthma (JPGL) 2020 contains data on the prevalence, mortality, complications, and prognosis of childhood asthma. One of the most notable findings of recent epidemiological studies is the number of asthma deaths in the vital statistics gathered by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. The pediatric asthma mortality rate in Japan is very low by international standards; the number of deaths in patients younger than age 14 years was reportedly zero in 2017 and 2018. It is hoped that the JPGL will be used widely as a tool for asthma treatment and contribute to eliminating pediatric asthma-related deaths.