Epidemiology of bronchial asthma among schoolboys in Al-Khobar city, Saudi Arabia: cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of bronchial asthma among Saudi Arabian schoolboys living in Al-Khobar city.


METHODS
Parents of 1,482 randomly selected boys in preparatory and elementary schools included in this cross-sectional study filled out a questionnaire on asthma signs in their sons. Number of Questionnaire-Diagnosed Asthmatics was compared with the number of Physician-Diagnosed Asthmatics.


RESULTS
The prevalence rates of questionnaire-diagnosed asthma (QDA) and physician-diagnosed asthma (PDA) were 9.5% and 8.1%, respectively. Rates of allergic diseases were significantly higher among QDA schoolboys and their parents. They reported to be more exposed to allergenic environmental factors (pets at home, passive smoking) than non-QDA.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of QDA among schoolboys in Al-Khobar city is higher than the prevalence of QDA in other Arabian, developing, or European countries, but still lower than in other parts of Saudi Arabia. A combination of genetic and environmental factors may explain this finding.
Al-Dawood
K
K
Department of Family & Community Medicine, King Faisal University, P. O. Box 2290, Al-Khobar 31952, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. kaldawood99@yahoo.com
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population