RISK FACTORS AND PREVALENCE OF CATAMENIAL ASTHMA (PERIMENSTRUAL ASTHMA, PMA): A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Objective: To determine the risk factors and prevalence of catamenial asthma among women globally. Methods:This research employed a cross-sectional study design to gather and analyze the relevant data that leads to its findings. Wang and Cheng describe a cross-sectional study as an observational study that analyzes data from a population at a single point in time. Cross-sectional studies are helpful when establishing preliminary evidence while planning for a more advanced study in the future. Cross-sectional research requires researchers to record information, but not manipulate variables, as the case in this research study. Results:Study included 437 female participants. They had their menarche at different ages. They had their first menstrual period between the age of 12-14 years (n= 187, 42.8%) and between the age of 10-12 years (n= 176, 40.3%). It is noticed from the table that half of study participants experience worsening of asthma symptoms during menstruation (n= 219, 51.1%). More than half of study participants take painkillers medications for menstrual pain (n= 266, 60.9%). The last premenstrual asthma experience was before more than 1 year among 247 participants (56.5%) while it was before less than 1 year among 190 participants (43.5%). Most of study participants encountered it 2 times (n= 142, 32.5%) or 3-4 times (n= 140, 32%). The most frequent approach was via doctors advice (n= 205, 46.9%) followed by using over the counter drugs (n= 176, 40.3%). On the other hand, 20 participants just let it pass without any management (4.6%) and 36 participants attended at the emergency department (8.2%). Conclusion: Study results showed that most participants had their menarche at the age of 12-14 years. and more than one third of them encounter symptoms of catamenial asthma. Most of participants depend on doctors advice regarding the management with some of them attend at the emergency department to relieve their symptoms. More than half of study participants dont know how to manage their symptoms and avoid risks related to exposure to catamenial asthma.