title: Asthma in a university campus: a survey of students and staff of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Asthma continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. But, its burden among adult populations in university campuses is not well described.
  
  
  METHODS
  Through a multistage cluster sampling of students and staff of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, we obtained a representative sample, each for students and staff. We administered the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) screening questionnaire to all the respondents. A subgroup did a spirometry test and completed a detailed questionnaire. Asthma was considered "possible", if a respondent provided affirmative response to symptoms of "wheezing or whistling", "attack of shortness of breath", "diagnosed attack of asthma" in the last 12 months or "currently taking medicines for asthma".
  
  
  RESULTS
  From population of 13,750 students and 1428 staff of the university, we systematically sampled 2750 (20%) students and all the staff. Amongst these, 2372 students and 455 staff completed the screening questionnaire. The mean age (SD) of the responders was 21.9 (3.2) and 46.1 (8.9) for students and staff and most of them were men; 58.6% and 65.9%, respectively. While an estimated 2.6% (95% CI: 1.7-3.5) of students had an asthma attack in the preceding 12 months, 14.5% (95% CI: 12.5-16.5) and 25.2% (95% CI: 22.8-27.7) reported shortness of breath and nocturnal cough, respectively. The staff population reported fewer symptoms. The proportion with "possible asthma" was 18.2% (95% CI: 16.0-20.4) for students and 8.0% (95% CI: 5.4-10.7) for staff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of asthma is high among students and staff of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
authors: a Department of Medicine , Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile-Ife , Nigeria and.
authors: Gregory E
authors: GE
authors: Erhabor
authors: a Department of Medicine , Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile-Ife , Nigeria and.
authors: Daniel O
authors: DO
authors: Obaseki
authors: a Department of Medicine , Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile-Ife , Nigeria and.
authors: Olayemi F
authors: OF
authors: Awopeju
authors: b Department of Community Medicine , Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile-Ife , Nigeria.
authors: Kayode T
authors: KT
authors: Ijadunola
authors: a Department of Medicine , Obafemi Awolowo University , Ile-Ife , Nigeria and.
authors: Olufemi O
authors: OO
authors: Adewole
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013147:Spirometry; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Asthma; Nigeria; epidemiology