Figure WORK 8. Selected Chronic Health Conditions per 1,000 Children Ages 0 to 17: Selected Years
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Trends in the Well-Being of America’s Children and Youth: 1998. Table HC 2.5.
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Respiratory conditions, especially chronic sinus itis and asthma, were the most prevalent chronic health conditions experienced in recent years by children.
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Rates for asthma show some year-to-year variation, but were higher in the mid-1990s (62 to 75 children per thousand) than in the mid-1980s (43 to 53 children per thousand). Like rates for asthma, the prevalence of chronic sinusitis has both increased and showed considerable year-to-year variation.
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In 1996, 26 children per thousand had a deformity or orthopedic impairment, down from a high of 36 children per thousand in 1987, as shown in Table WORK 8.
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The rate for heart disease among children has ranged from a low of 18 cases per thousand in
1994 to a high of 24 cases per thousand in 1996, with no clear trend.
Table WORK 8. Selected Chronic Health Conditions per 1,000 Children Ages 0 to 17: Selected Years
1984 | 1987 | 1990 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Respiratory Conditions | ||||||||
Chronic Bronchitis | 50 | 62 | 53 | 54 | 59 | 55 | 54 | 57 |
Chronic Sinusitis | 47 | 58 | 57 | 69 | 80 | 65 | 76 | 64 |
Asthma | 43 | 53 | 58 | 63 | 72 | 69 | 75 | 62 |
Chronic Diseases of Tonsils or Adenoids | 34 | 30 | 23 | 28 | 26 | 23 | 19 | 20 |
Impairments | ||||||||
Deformity or Orthopedic Impairment | 35 | 36 | 29 | 33 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 26 |
Speech Impairment | 16 | 19 | 14 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 16 |
Hearing Impairment | 24 | 16 | 21 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 13 |
Visual Impairment | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 6 |
Other Conditions | ||||||||
Heart Disease | 23 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 24 |
Anemia | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 7 | 5 |
Epilepsy | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, Trends in the Well-Being of America’s Children and Youth: 1998. Table HC 2.5.
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