Publication:

A study on prevalence of bronchial asthma among school children in field practice area of medical college in Central Karnataka

Background Asthma in childhood is a chronic disease and, when unadorned, often results in augmented morbidity for the enduring and indirect economic fatalities for the community. The predominance of childhood bronchial asthma being amplified in developing countries like India due to rapid urbanization is imposing a challenge to health sector. This study aims to determine the prevalence of bronchial asthma and socio-demographic factors influencing the bronchial asthma among the school children in the field practice area.

Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in secondary schools in Davangere district, by utilizing International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) questionnaire tool for period of two months. Total of 550 school students were examined from the four schools of Davangere, two belonging to rural field practice area and two belonging to urban field practice area of J.J.M medical college, Davangere by using simple random selection.

Results On the basis of ISAAC scoring, 25 (4.5%) were found to be the cases of asthma. Boys had a higher prevalence (5.14%) than girls (3.77%). Maximum numbers of positive cases were found at the age of 15 years, 10 (5.37 %) cases. Out of the 25 positive cases, 8 (32%) had wheezing or whistling in the chest in the past 12 months. Among 25 positive cases, from last 12 months, 6 children (24%) had attack of wheezing, maximum number of children had 4-12 times (67%) attack of wheezing.

Conclusions Our data suggest that the actual prevalence of asthma and other 'wheezy' illnesses may be higher than that previously documented. Further studies are needed to confirm the difference in prevalence between urban and rural children and also to identify possible causes that could account for the higher urban prevalence in Davangere.