Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years Apart
Objectives:The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) highlighted the presence of wide variations in asthma prevalence between and within countries. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in the prevalence of asthma and its symptoms across the different regions o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Sultan Qaboos University
2008-07-01
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| Series: | Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://journals.squ.edu.om/index.php/squmj/article/view/1351 |
| _version_ | 1818750868313341952 |
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| author | Omar A Al-Rawas Bazdawi M Al-Riyami Hussein Al-Kindy Abdullah A Al-Maniri Asya A Al-Riyami |
| author_facet | Omar A Al-Rawas Bazdawi M Al-Riyami Hussein Al-Kindy Abdullah A Al-Maniri Asya A Al-Riyami |
| author_sort | Omar A Al-Rawas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives:The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) highlighted the presence of wide variations in asthma prevalence between and within countries. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in the prevalence of asthma and its symptoms across the different regions of Oman. Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted as part of ISAAC phases I (1995) and III (2001) in two age groups (6-7 and 13-14 years) from nation-wide samples of Omani school children, with 7,067 participants in 1995 (3,893 young and 3,174 older group) and 7,879 participants in 2001 (4,126 young and 3,753 older group). Results: Over the period of six years, the Sharqiya (Eastern) region continued to have the highest prevalence of self-reported asthma diagnosis and all asthma symptoms in both age groups, with a significant increase in the prevalence of wheeze in the past 12 months (from 8.7% to 13.8%; p=0.002) and asthma diagnosis (from 13.8% to 17.8 %; p=0.046) in the young group, and a significant increase in night cough (from 21.6% to 27.8%; p=0.039) in the older group. All other regions had lower prevalence rates in 1995 in both age groups, and showed either no significant change or a decline in one or two of the self-reported asthma symptoms. The prevalence of asthma diagnosis among wheezy children remained unchanged across all regions. In addition, asthma under-diagnosis remains a problem with only 60% of children with severe wheeze reporting asthma diagnosis in both surveys. Conclusion: The geographic variation in the prevalence of self-reported of asthma symptoms among Omani school children persists with further increase in the Sharqiya region. The findings also suggest under-diagnosis and/or poor recognition of asthma which had not improved over time. |
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d7757cf08a7c4a54bc3ea36efb7499fd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-051X 2075-0528 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T04:26:31Z |
| publishDate | 2008-07-01 |
| publisher | Sultan Qaboos University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-d7757cf08a7c4a54bc3ea36efb7499fd2022-12-21T21:21:05ZengSultan Qaboos UniversitySultan Qaboos University Medical Journal2075-051X2075-05282008-07-01821571691279Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years ApartOmar A Al-Rawas0Bazdawi M Al-Riyami1Hussein Al-Kindy2Abdullah A Al-Maniri3Asya A Al-Riyami4Departments of Medicine, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of OmanDepartments of Medicine, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of OmanDepartments of Child Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of OmanDepartments of Family Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine & Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of OmanDepartment of Resarch Studies, Ministry of Health, Muscat, Sultanate of OmanObjectives:The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Children (ISAAC) highlighted the presence of wide variations in asthma prevalence between and within countries. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in the prevalence of asthma and its symptoms across the different regions of Oman. Methods: Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted as part of ISAAC phases I (1995) and III (2001) in two age groups (6-7 and 13-14 years) from nation-wide samples of Omani school children, with 7,067 participants in 1995 (3,893 young and 3,174 older group) and 7,879 participants in 2001 (4,126 young and 3,753 older group). Results: Over the period of six years, the Sharqiya (Eastern) region continued to have the highest prevalence of self-reported asthma diagnosis and all asthma symptoms in both age groups, with a significant increase in the prevalence of wheeze in the past 12 months (from 8.7% to 13.8%; p=0.002) and asthma diagnosis (from 13.8% to 17.8 %; p=0.046) in the young group, and a significant increase in night cough (from 21.6% to 27.8%; p=0.039) in the older group. All other regions had lower prevalence rates in 1995 in both age groups, and showed either no significant change or a decline in one or two of the self-reported asthma symptoms. The prevalence of asthma diagnosis among wheezy children remained unchanged across all regions. In addition, asthma under-diagnosis remains a problem with only 60% of children with severe wheeze reporting asthma diagnosis in both surveys. Conclusion: The geographic variation in the prevalence of self-reported of asthma symptoms among Omani school children persists with further increase in the Sharqiya region. The findings also suggest under-diagnosis and/or poor recognition of asthma which had not improved over time.https://journals.squ.edu.om/index.php/squmj/article/view/1351asthma, prevalencechildrenadolescentsoman. |
| spellingShingle | Omar A Al-Rawas Bazdawi M Al-Riyami Hussein Al-Kindy Abdullah A Al-Maniri Asya A Al-Riyami Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years Apart Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal asthma, prevalence children adolescents oman. |
| title | Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years Apart |
| title_full | Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years Apart |
| title_fullStr | Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years Apart |
| title_full_unstemmed | Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years Apart |
| title_short | Regional Variation in the Prevalence of Asthma Symptoms among Omani School Children : Comparisons from Two Nationwide Cross-sectional Surveys Six Years Apart |
| title_sort | regional variation in the prevalence of asthma symptoms among omani school children comparisons from two nationwide cross sectional surveys six years apart |
| topic | asthma, prevalence children adolescents oman. |
| url | https://journals.squ.edu.om/index.php/squmj/article/view/1351 |
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