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High prevalence of asthma in preschool children in Southern Brazil: a population-based study

Moema N Chatkin1, Ana Maria B Menezes, Cesar G Victora

  • 1Department of Clinical Medicine, Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas, Brazil. moema.chatkin@pelotas.com.br

Pediatric Pulmonology
|March 12, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Asthma prevalence is high in Brazilian children, affecting 18.4% of 4-year-olds. Key risk factors include nonwhite ethnicity, low maternal education, family history of asthma, and child

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Asthma prevalence is rising globally, necessitating local epidemiological studies.
  • Understanding risk factors is crucial for developing targeted public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of current asthma and current wheeze in a 4-year-old birth cohort in Pelotas, Brazil.
  • To identify significant risk factors associated with childhood asthma and wheeze.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 981 children born in 1993 in Pelotas, Brazil, was studied at age 4.
  • Standardized questionnaires administered to mothers collected data on asthma, wheeze, socioeconomic status, housing, genetics, nutrition, and infections.
  • Multiple Poisson regression analysis was used to identify risk factors.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of current asthma was 18.4% and current wheeze was 21.1%.
  • Significant risk factors for both current asthma and current wheeze included nonwhite ethnicity, low maternal schooling, family history of asthma/allergy, and child's history of rhinitis/eczema.
  • Additional risk factors identified were male sex and bronchiolitis for current asthma, and smoking in pregnancy and low birth weight for current wheeze.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood asthma represents a significant public health concern in Pelotas, Brazil, with substantial prevalence.
  • Preventable risk factors such as maternal smoking and low birth weight are associated with wheeze, highlighting potential intervention targets.
  • Intervention programs addressing identified risk factors are needed to mitigate the burden of childhood asthma.

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