First report of asthma prevalence in Afghanistan using international standardized methods

No data on the prevalence of asthma in Afghanistan have been published before. In a school-based survey in 2010-2011 the wheezing section of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood [ISAAC] questionnaire was completed by a random sample of 1500 children aged 6-7 years and 1500 adolescents aged 13-14 years old. The prevalence of physician-diagnosed asthma was 12.5% in 6-7-year-olds and 17.3% in 13-14-year-olds [P = 0.002]. The prevalence of wheeze in the last 12 months was similar in children and adolescents [19.2% and 21.7% respectively]. The prevalence of ever wheezing, night attacks, speech-limiting wheeze and exercise-induced wheeze was 23.1%, 4.8%, 12.2% and 9.6% respectively in children and 30.5%, 4.4%, 13.0% and 13.6% respectively in adolescents. These rates are higher than those in neighbouring countries. This first epidemiological survey of asthma in Afghanistan shows that asthma and wheezing are common in Kabul students

[Failure to thrive in under-two-year-old-children and the probable factors involved]

Failure to thrive [FTT] has bad consequences in the first year of life because of maximum of brain growth is at this time and the failure can cause mental retardation and decrease in IQ. Considering that identifying factors contributing to FIT is regarded at first level prevention, a cross- sectional study for identification of causing factors was performed. In this study, 400 children under two years referring to Azadshahr clinic for routine visits were randomly selected. A questionnaire was completed for each child by asking their mothers on their records. Gomez definition was used to evaluate each child for FTT. Out of 400 children, 103 [25.7%] had FTT. FTT did not have remarkable difference between boys and girls. Our results showed that low birth weight, family bigness, maternal age, onset of solid foods, taking ferrous sulfate and the way of starting solid foods were statistically associated with FTT. Although FTT was higher in children of higher educated mothers, in those who did not receive A+D vitamin, in low socioeconomic status families, in unwanted children, in children of mothers observing less than 3 years between pregnancies and in those who suffered a special clinical disorder in the past two months, the correlation was not statistically significant. According to results, attention to factors affecting children growth and educating health staff and their families can help solve our today's community problem