Dataset Information

Asthma and allergies in Jamaican children aged 2-17 years: a cross-sectional prevalence survey.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine the prevalence and severity of asthma and allergies as well as risk factors for asthma among Jamaican children aged 2-17 years.

Design

A cross-sectional, community-based prevalence survey using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. The authors selected a representative sample of 2017 children using stratified, multistage cluster sampling design using enumeration districts as primary sampling units.

Setting

Jamaica, a Caribbean island with a total population of approximately 2.6 million, geographically divided into 14 parishes.

Participants

Children aged 2-17 years, who were resident in private households. Institutionalised children such as those in boarding schools and hospitals were excluded from the survey.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The prevalence and severity of asthma and allergy symptoms, doctor-diagnosed asthma and risk factors for asthma.

Results

Almost a fifth (19.6%) of Jamaican children aged 2-17 years had current wheeze, while 16.7% had self-reported doctor-diagnosed asthma. Both were more common among males than among females. The prevalence of rhinitis, hay fever and eczema among children was 24.5%, 25% and 17.3%, respectively. Current wheeze was more common among children with rhinitis in the last 12 months (44.3% vs 12.6%, p<0.001), hay fever (36.8% vs 13.8%, p<0.001) and eczema (34.1% vs 16.4%, p<0.001). Independent risk factors for current wheeze (ORs, 95% CI) were chest infections in the first year of life 4.83 (3.00 to 7.77), parental asthma 4.19 (2.8 to 6.08), rhinitis in the last 12 months 6.92 (5.16 to 9.29), hay fever 4.82 (3.62 to 6.41), moulds in the home 2.25 (1.16 to 4.45), cat in the home 2.44 (1.66 to 3.58) and dog in the home 1.81 (1.18 to 2.78).

Conclusions

The prevalence of asthma and allergies in Jamaican children is high. Significant risk factors for asthma include chest infections in the first year of life, a history of asthma in the family, allergies, moulds and pets in the home.

SUBMITTER: Kahwa EK

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3400072 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Asthma and allergies in Jamaican children aged 2-17 years: a cross-sectional prevalence survey.

Kahwa Eulalia K EK Waldron Norman K NK Younger Novie O NO Edwards Nancy C NC Knight-Madden Jennifer M JM Bailey Kay A KA Wint Yvonne B YB Lewis-Bell Karen N KN

BMJ open 20120712 4

<h4>Objective</h4>To determine the prevalence and severity of asthma and allergies as well as risk factors for asthma among Jamaican children aged 2-17 years.<h4>Design</h4>A cross-sectional, community-based prevalence survey using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. The authors selected a representative sample of 2017 children using stratified, multistage cluster sampling design using enumeration districts as primary sampling units.<h4>Setting</h4>Jamaica ...[more]

PMID: 22798254

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Dataset Information

Asthma and allergies in Jamaican children aged 2-17 years: a cross-sectional prevalence survey.

Objective

Design

Setting

Participants

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Asthma and allergies in Jamaican children aged 2-17 years: a cross-sectional prevalence survey.

Similar Datasets

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