title: Prevalence of asthma among schoolchildren in Ahvaz, Islamic Republic of Iran.
abstract: The prevalence of asthma was determined in a random sample of schoolchildren in Ahvaz city, southwest Islamic Republic of Iran, based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC) protocol. The prevalence of ever wheeze and current wheeze was 11.1% and 7.4% among 1410 children aged 6-7 years (parent-reported) and 17.7% and 10.3% among 1450 children aged 13-14 years (self-reported). The prevalence of ever asthma was significantly higher among 13-14-year-olds (9.8%) than 6-7-year-olds (6.8%) but no significant difference was found between males and females in either age group. Comparisons are made with other Iranian cities and international data.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health, Ahvaz University Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Islamic Republic of Iran. shakurnia@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Shakurnia
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Assar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Afra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Latifi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001250:Asthma, Exercise-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*