Prevalence of childhood asthma among children in Sri Lankan urban setting

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue VI, June 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Prevalence of childhood asthma among children in Sri Lankan urban setting

Samarasinghe A.P¹, Arnold S.M ², Pushpa Fonseka³, Saravanabavan N^4
1, ²,⁴Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka
³Sri Jayawardena University, Sri Lanka

Abstract:
Background: Bronchial asthma is an important cause of morbidity in both children and adults. Due to better diagnosis, a true incidence of the occurrence of the disease has been documented in most countries. With the increase of prevalence rates around the world, the Sri Lankan situation also is no different. Control of childhood asthma, especially severe type is a big challenge. Priority in management is geared toward alleviation of the often very frightening symptoms of severe form of the disease.
Methods: A community based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Colombo Municipal Council area. A sample of 1380 children in the age group 5 – 11 years consisted the study sample. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used as the study instrument.
Results: The overall prevalence of childhood asthma in the 5 – 11 age group was 12.8 per 100 children. prevalence was 22.4% (95% CI 20.2-24.7) in ever wheezing category while the prevalence of wheezing during the period of 12 months prior to the data collection was 12.8%(95% CI 11.1-14.7). Prevalence of exercise induced childhood asthma was 7% (95% CI 6.8-7.3).
Conclusion: The prevalence of asthma was substantially high among the children in the age group 5- 11 years.

Key words: Childhood asthma, Prevalence, Urban setting, Children

I.INTRODUCTION

The prevalence of asthma has markedly increased over recent decades in both developed and developing countries. Several prevalence studies of similar methodologies have shown the increased prevalence of morbidity of childhood asthma over the years 1,2. In Australia, about one-quarter of children are diagnosed with asthma while in America the numbers of childhood asthmatics have doubled between 1990 and 1995. Meanwhile, several other studies have claimed that the true magnitude of asthma is likely to be higher than available estimates, because of the reluctance of health workers to diagnose asthma in young children and especially because of the stigma associated with it 3,4.
Today, asthma is a major global public health concern and about 150 million people live with asthma. Estimates of prevalence of asthma vary worldwide and range from 15 percent to 20 percent in children and 2 percent to 6 percent in adults. Rough estimates indicate a prevalence of 10 percent to 15 percent in the age group between 5-11 year old Indian

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