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Published on: November 4, 2010
Sub-optimal asthma control in teenagers in the midland region of Ireland
1Department of Public Health, HSE, Arden Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland. ina.kelly@hse.ie
Background:
Internationally, many children with asthma are not attaining achievable asthma control.
Aims:
To examine the prevalence of asthma in teenagers in four midland counties, their asthma control and the barriers, if any, to gaining control of asthma.
Methodology:
International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) methodology was used in a survey of Junior Cycle Year 2 second-level students.
Results:
The prevalence of "wheeze ever" was 49.8%, "wheeze in the last 12 months" was 32.6% and "asthma ever" was 23.5%. Of teenagers with current asthma, 96% had evidence of sub-optimal asthma control during the previous year. For the majority of the teenagers with asthma, treatment was not guideline concordant; infrequent lung function testing, insufficient review after acute care and poor use of written asthma action plans. Barriers included lack of awareness of need for treatment.
Conclusions:
If asthma guidelines are implemented fully, these children may experience better health.
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