EPIDEMIOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANTS OF BRONCHIAL ASTHMA AMONG CHILDREN IN AL-MADINA, SAUDI ARABIA

Background: Bronchial asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by the inflammation of the airways of the lungs. Worldwide, people are affected by it without distinction for ethnicity, age or gender. Its exacerbation and complications can be prevented by maintaining good control over the condition. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the prevalence rate of bronchial asthma among children in the city of Al-Madina, Saudi Arabia. This will also facilitate the study of possible environmental and dietary determinants of bronchial asthma among asthmatic children (1?14 years old) and in evaluating the severity of asthma and its effects on the quality of life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from March to May 2018 with a representative sample of Saudi male and female children at the Maternity and Children?s Hospital, Al-Madina, Saudi Arabia (N= 339). The age of the children was ≤14 years old. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed and was filled in by parents who satisfied the selection criteria of the study. Results: In the study, 56.8% of the sample were male children. 48.2% of the parents reported that their children have asthma. The body mass index (BMI) of the children between the ages (> 2 years to ≤ 14 years) showed that 83.2% of them were underweight. 35.9% of the total sample took medication for asthma. Passive smoking was the most common environmental risk factor, encountered by 25.78% of the total sample. Egg consumption was the most common dietary risk factor, connected with 11.98% of the total sample. As regards the severity of bronchial asthma, 71.9% of children had not been absent from their schools in this year, and the majority of asthmatic participants did not need to visit the hospital. Conclusion: This study identifies that the prevalence of bronchial asthma among children in Al-Madina was 48.2% of the total sample. Passive smoking was the most widespread environmental risk factor that could trigger asthma symptoms. Moreover, egg consumption was the most common dietary risk factors associated with asthmatic children.