The effect of Asian dust on asthma by socioeconomic status using national health insurance claims data in Korea

Abstract

Context: Asian dust events are associated with increased asthma incidence, asthma exacerbation, decreased lung function and increased risk for hospitalization.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Asian dust events on asthma exacerbation by socioeconomic status using national health insurance claims data.

Materials and methods: A case-crossover design was used to analyze asthma-related national health insurance claims, air pollutant and climate data from 2007 to 2013 in Seoul and Incheon, Korea. We stratified our analysis by socioeconomic status (health insurance versus medical aid subscribers) and calculated the maximum air pollutant levels and average climate values per day. The number of asthma-related visits to medical institutions per day was compared between “event” and “control” days.

Results: Compared with “control days”, the average number of asthma-related visits to medical institutions decreased on “event” days and increased 1–5 d thereafter. The number of visits by health insurance subscribers also decreased on “event” days and increased 1–5 d thereafter, while the number of visits by medical aid subscribers did not change on “event” days but increased 1–4 d thereafter.

Discussion and conclusion: Our study confirms that Asian dust events result in an increased number of asthma-related visits to medical institutions. This effect differed by socioeconomic status.

• Asian dust
• asthma
• health insurance claim

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the Ministry of Environment, National Health Insurance Corporation and Korea Meteorological Administration personnel for the help provided for this paper.

Declaration of interest

This paper was written with support from the Ministry of Environment. The authors have no other conflicts of interest to declare.

Supplementary material available online