Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40037681›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2025

Emergency department presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in Central Queensland, Australia: a comparative analysis between First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents.

Desalegn Markos Shifti, Mahmudul Hassan Al Imam, Diane Maresco-Pennisi, Renarta Whitcombe, Peter D Sly, Craig F Munns, Rachel L Peters, Gulam Khandaker, Jennifer J Koplin

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Prevalence and Sociodemographic Variation of Allergic Diseases in Australia: Findings From the Australian National Health Survey.Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology · 2026
    Article
  2. Mapping the Burden and Risk Factors of Allergic Diseases and Asthma Among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People: A Scoping Review.Clinical and experimental allergy : journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology · 2026
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Desalegn Markos ShiftiChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia d.shifti@uq.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6638-6194
Mahmudul Hassan Al ImamCentral Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
Diane Maresco-PennisiCentre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Renarta WhitcombeCentral Queensland Public Health Unit, Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
Peter D SlyChildren's Health and Environment Program, Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Craig F MunnsChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Rachel L PetersMurdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
Gulam KhandakerChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-7419-1142
Jennifer J KoplinChild Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo examine the overall incidence rate and trends in emergency department (ED) presentations related to asthma and allergic diseases in regional Australia with a particular focus on First Nations Australians.

designA retrospective analysis of data from the Emergency Department Information System.

settingThis study used data from 12 public hospitals in Central Queensland, Australia, a region encompassing regional, rural and remote outback areas.

participantsA total of 813 112 ED presentations between 2018 and 2023. OUTCOME MEASURE: Asthma and allergic diseases were identified using the International Classification of Diseases-Tenth Revision-Australian Modification codes.

resultsThere were 13 273 asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations, with an overall prevalence of 1.6% (95% CI 1.6, 1.7). There was a significantly higher incidence rate of asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations among First Nations Australians at 177.5 per 10 000 person-years (95% CI 169.3, 186.0) compared with 98.9 per 10 000 person-years (95% CI 97.2, 100.8) among Australians of other descents. The incidence rates, with corresponding 95% CIs, of the four most common cases among First Nations Australians and Australians of other descents, respectively, were as follows: asthma (87.8 (82.0, 93.8) and 40.2 (39.0, 41.3)), unspecified allergy (55.3 (50.8, 60.2) and 36.0 (34.9, 37.1)), atopic/allergic contact dermatitis (17.1 (14.6, 19.9) and 10.6 (10.0, 11.2)) and anaphylaxis (7.2 (5.6, 9.1) and 6.2 (5.7, 6.6)).

conclusionOur findings highlight a significantly higher rate of asthma and allergic disease-related ED presentations among First Nations Australians compared with Australians of other descents. This underscores the urgent need for targeted healthcare interventions integrating culturally appropriate approaches, alongside additional research to understand causality.

Indexed as

AsthmaEmergency Service, HospitalHypersensitivityAdolescentAdultAgedAustralasian PeopleAustralian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander PeoplesChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansIncidenceInfantMaleMiddle AgedAsthmaChronic DiseaseEmergency Service, HospitalEPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIESEPIDEMIOLOGYPrevalence

Identifiers

PMID40037681
PMCPMC12010286

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.