Burden of asthma among children in a developing megacity: childhood asthma study, Pakistan
Adeel Ahmed Khan1, Sana Tanzil, Tanzil Jamali
1Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University , Karachi , Pakistan and.
Insights
Childhood asthma affects 10.2% of children in Karachi, Pakistan. Key risk factors include male gender, younger age, family history, and poorly ventilated kitchens, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Childhood asthma prevalence is rising globally, especially in low-income nations.
- Pakistan lacks community-based studies on pediatric asthma burden.
- This research addresses the need for local epidemiological data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of asthma in children aged 3-17 in Karachi, Pakistan.
- To identify predictors associated with childhood asthma in this population.
Main Methods:
- A two-stage, community-based, cross-sectional survey conducted in Karachi.
- Involved 1046 children aged 3-17 years, selected through random cluster sampling.
- Utilized a translated and pre-tested International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children questionnaire.
Main Results:
- Overall asthma prevalence was 10.2% (95% CI: 8.4-12.0).
- Predictors included male gender (adj. OR: 2.5), younger age group 3-7 years (adj. OR: 2.9), ill-ventilated kitchens (adj. OR: 1.8), family history of asthma (adj. OR: 2.3), and Sindhi ethnicity (adj. OR: 2.2).
Conclusions:
- This study provides robust evidence of a high childhood asthma burden in Pakistan.
- Identified family history, male gender, Sindhi ethnicity, and ill-ventilated kitchens as significant asthma predictors.
- Emphasizes the need for targeted preventive strategies and further intervention studies.
Objectives:
Global burden of childhood asthma has increased in the past few decades, particularly in low-income countries. In Pakistan, there is a lack of community-based epidemiological studies estimating the burden of asthma among children. This study determined the prevalence and predictors of asthma among children 3-17 years of age in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods:
A two-stage community-based representative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Karachi from March 2012 to April 2013 comprising 1046 children aged 3-17 years. Of 7500 clusters, 80 were randomly selected, and of these, 15 children per cluster were enrolled randomly. A translated and pre-tested version of International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children questionnaire was administered.
Results:
The overall prevalence of asthma among study participants was 10.2% (95% CI: 8.4-12.0). Asthma was more likely to occur among boys (adj. OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.6-4.0), children in the younger age group (3-7 years) (adj. OR: 2.9, 95% CI: 1.7-4.8), those living in households with ill-ventilated kitchens (adj. OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1-3.1), having family history of asthma (adj. OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3-3.9) and those of the Sindhi ethnicity (adj. OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.4).
Conclusion:
This study is the first robust evidence regarding asthma among children in Pakistan, reporting a high burden in this group. Family history, male gender, Sindhi ethnicity and ill-ventilated kitchen were identified as important predictors of asthma. Targeted preventive measures and intervention studies are required to better understand and reduce the burden of asthma among children in Pakistan.
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