Prevalence of asthma and asthma-like symptoms in inner-city schoolchildren.
This study investigates the prevalence of asthma and asthma-related symptoms in New Orleans inner-city schoolchildren. A cross-sectional survey of 1535 elementary, middle, and high school children (aged 5-18) was conducted by using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) written questionnaire. Lifetime prevalence of wheezing was 39.4%, and lifetime prevalence of asthma was 24.4%. Wheezing during the previous 12 months was reported by 25.7% of the sample. Twenty-one percent of respondents reported having one or more attacks of wheezing per year, with 5.6% reporting four or more attacks per year. Many participants reported sleep disturbance (15.4%), with 6.2% reporting sleep disturbance more than once a week. The 12-month rate of speech limitation due to asthma exacerbation was 6.6%. Exercise-induced asthma was reported by 16.9% of the students, and nocturnal cough (not associated with cold) was reported by 27.3%. Overall, boys reported higher rates of symptoms than girls, and younger children (aged 6-7) reported greater symptoms than older children (aged 13-14). These findings show that prevalence of asthma in this population is elevated, and the ISAAC written questionnaire successfully identified inner-city children at risk for asthma in New Orleans.
Mvula
Mosanda
M
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy/lmmunology, LSU Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, USA. mmvula@Isuhsc.edu
Larzelere
Michele
M
Kraus
Marjorie
M
Moisiewicz
Kathleen
K
Morgan
Connie
C
Pierce
Stephanie
S
Post
Robert
R
Nash
Theresa
T
Moore
Cleveland
C
D000293:Adolescent; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008145:Louisiana / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D012574:Schools; D014504:Urban Health