Asthma control in Saudi Arabia: Gender implications.

Area of Science:

• Respiratory Medicine
• Public Health
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Gender-specific factors significantly influence asthma control, necessitating tailored clinical approaches, particularly for women.
• Limited research exists on gender disparities in asthma control factors within Saudi Arabia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare gender-specific factors associated with asthma control in adult patients.
• To identify unique predictors of uncontrolled asthma in men and women.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving adult asthma patients from primary care clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
• Asthma control assessed using the Asthma Control Test (ACT), with uncontrolled asthma defined as ACT score ≤19.
• Multiple logistic regression analysis employed to determine associated factors.

Main Results:

• Uncontrolled asthma was prevalent in 58.9% of men and 77.0% of women (p=0.002).
• In men, uncontrolled asthma linked to stress, daily smoking, and lower household income (<15,000 SAR).
• In women, uncontrolled asthma associated with unemployment, obesity, and lower household income (<15,000 SAR).

Conclusions:

• Significant gender differences exist in factors affecting asthma control in Saudi Arabia.
• Stress, occupation, and obesity demonstrate a differential relationship with uncontrolled asthma in men versus women.
• Findings offer insights for developing targeted interventions to improve asthma management, especially for women.