HC 2.4

CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS

Chronic health problems can cause children to miss school and often require medical assistance and follow-up. Chronic conditions can also create stress for children and their parents, cause parents to lose time from work, and increase a family’s medical expenses.

Over the period from 1984 to 1994, respiratory conditions have been the most prevalent chronic health problems experienced by children under age 17, followed by skin conditions, and impairments (see Figure HC 2.4). In general, there are few pronounced patterns of improvement or deterioration among those conditions shown (see Table HC 2.4). Two exceptions, however, are asthma and chronic sinusitis. The prevalence of these two chronic conditions increased incrementally from 1984 to 1993, but declined slightly in 1994. In 1984, asthma affected 43 children per thousand, compared with 69 children per thousand in 1994; chronic sinusitis affected 47 children per thousand in 1984, and 65 children per thousand by 1994.
 
 

Figure HC 2.4   Selected Chronic Health Conditions per 1,000 Children Ages 0-17: 1994

Source: National Center for Health Statistics, “Current Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey: United States 1994”, Vital and Health Statistics, Series 10, No. 193, Table 70.
 
 

Table HC 2.4  Selected Chronic Health Conditionsa per 1,000 Children  Ages 0-17: Selected Years, 1984-1994
					——–——number per 1,000 ————–
Type of Conditions					1984	1987	1990	1992	1993	1994
—————————————————————					———	———	———	———	———	———
	Respiratory Conditions
		Hay fever, allergic rhinitis without Asthma			61	64	57	71	57	61
		Chronic bronchitis			50	62	53	54	59	55
		Chronic sinusitis			47	58	57	69	80	65
		Asthma			43	53	58	63	72	69
		Chronic diseases of tonsils or adenoids			34	30	23	28	26	23
	Skin Conditions
		Dermatitis			39	32	31	41	36	38
		Serious acne			26	26	26	25	28	29
	Impairments
		Deformity or orthopedic impairment			35	36	29	33	29	28
		Speech impairment			16	19	14	21	20	21
		Hearing impairment			24	16	21	15	17	18
		Visual impairment			9	10	9	10	7	9
	Other Conditions
		Heart disease			23	22	19	19	20	18
		Migraine headache			11	8	14	13	13	16
		Anemia			11	8	10	11	9	12
		Epilepsy			7	4	4	3	5	5
Notes: aChronic conditions as defined in the National Health Interview Survey are conditions that either a) were first noticed three months or more before the reference date of the interview; or b) belong to a group of conditions (including heart diseases, diabetes, and others) that are considered chronic regardless of when they began. The prevalence estimates are based on reports by parents or other adult respondents in response to checklists administered in household interviews.   Source: National Center for Health Statistics, "Current Estimates from the National Health Interview Survey: United States," 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994; Vital and Health Statistics, Series 10, Nos. 150, 156, 166, 181, 189, 190, and 1993, Tables 57 and 62.