title: Pattern of asthma medication use among children from a large urban center in Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Despite the advances in asthma therapeutics, there are few data on the use and determinants of anti-asthmatic drugs in the general population of children. This study describes the use of asthma medications among children in the general population and in children with current asthma, living in a large urban center in Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based cross-sectional survey, aimed at analyzing asthma determinants, was conducted with 1,382 children aged 4-11 years, between February and May 2006, in Salvador, Brazil. At baseline, an extensive questionnaire was applied, including questions about the use of asthma medications in the last 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all studied children (n = 1,382) aged 4-11 years, oral beta2-agonists were the drugs most frequently used (9.8%), followed by short-acting inhaled beta2-agonists (4.3%) and systemic corticosteroids (1.6%). Anti-asthmatic drug use was higher among males than females, and it significantly decreased with age in both genders. A total of 312 children (22.6%) reported current asthma, and 62% of them were not being treated with any anti-asthmatic drugs. Of all those who reported following a certain type of treatment, 20% used oral beta2-agonists alone; 6.1%, short-acting inhaled beta2-agonists alone; and 4.8%, a combination of both drugs. Anti-asthmatic drug use did not differ according to socioeconomic status, except for the use of inhaled beta2-agonists and systemic corticosteroids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An overwhelming majority of asthmatic children were not using long-term medications for asthma, in particular inhaled corticosteroids, regardless of the severity of their disease. This result points to the deficiencies of the Brazilian public health system in recognizing this important pharmacological need for child care and thereby limiting the access of these children to a group of efficacious, available, and low risk therapeutic medications.
authors: Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Federal University of Recôncavo da Bahia, Santo Antônio de Jesus, Bahia, Brazil. dejab@bol.com.br
authors: Djanilson Barbosa
authors: DB
authors: Santos
authors: Alvaro A
authors: AA
authors: Cruz
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: de Magalhães Simões
authors: Laura C
authors: LC
authors: Rodrigues
authors: Paulo Augusto Moreira
authors: PA
authors: Camargos
authors: Helena Lutescia Luna
authors: HL
authors: Coelho
authors: Mauricio L
authors: ML
authors: Barreto
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001938:Brazil; D017028:Caregivers; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014504:Urban Health
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents