Scottish Health Survey 2018: summary report

Chapter 8 Respiratory

Prevalence of self-reported asthma diagnoses among adults increased from 13% in 2003 to 16% in 2012 and has remained stable since (17% in 2018).

In 2018, 8% of all children aged 0 to 15 were reported to be diagnosed with asthma by a doctor – the lowest level to date.

There was not a significant difference in this prevalence between boys (9%) and girls (7%).

• The percentage of adults aged 16 and over who had wheezed in the last 12 months was 16% in 2018. This has not changed significantly since 2003.
• The proportion of children who were reported as having wheezed in the last 12 months was at its lowest in 2018 (10%) compared with between 12% and 14% between 2003 and 2017.
• In 2018, 4% of adults reported having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), continuing the stable level since 2008.
• COPD was four times higher among adults living in the most deprived areas (8%) compared with those living in the least deprived areas (2%).
• The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed COPD was thirteen times higher among smokers who smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day (13%) compared with among those who have never smoked regularly (1%).

Difference in asthma diagnosis and wheezing between the most deprived and least deprived areas in 2018

Ever wheezed

• 37% most deprived
• 28% least deprived

Wheezed in last 12 months

• 25% most deprived
• 21% least deprived

Doctor-diagnosed asthma

• 18% most deprived
• 13% least deprived

Adults who smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day were more than three times more likely to have wheezed in the last 12 months than those that have never smoked regularly.

• 37% Smoked 20+ cigarettes a day
• 11% Those that have never smoked regularly

72% of adults diagnosed with COPD reported having received treatment for this, with older adults more likely to have done so.

• 63% of those aged 16-64
• 80% of those aged 65 and over