ABSTRACT
Background: Asthma, when uncontrolled is a crippling condition and due to increasing allergens, the patients are increasing in number worldwide
Objective: To determine the level of asthma control in southern Punjab and impact of education level, habitat and gender on it
Subjects and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in the outpatient consultant's clinic, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, from 1[st] February to 30[th] September, 2011. All the patients diagnosed as having asthma by the physicians, were interviewed about the control of asthma. The data was collected on a questionnaire that included questions on the level of control of asthma and other related variables. Data was entered and analyzed by SPSS version 10
Results: A total of 768 patients were included in study, out of which 75% were having poorly controlled asthma. There were 224 [29.2%] females and 544 [70.8%] males. Fifty percent patients were of young age group. Middle age and elderly were 37% and 12% each. In the patients of urban area 61.53% were educated while from rural area 38.46% were educated. Among poorly controlled asthma group 320 [55%] were from rural area and 256 [44%] from urban area. In poorly controlled group 32 [5.55%] were on no treatment. Hundred percent of partially controlled and well controlled were having physician prescriptions. In well controlled group 64 [66.66%] were young. In poorly controlled group 288 [50%] were young. In well controlled group 100% were educated while in poorly controlled group 288 [50%] were uneducated. In poorly controlled group 32 [5.55%] were on no treatment while 544 [94.44%] were on some medications with prescription. In fully controlled group 100% patients had prescription
Conclusion: Asthma control is mostly poor in rural areas of Southern Punjab and almost half of the patients are uneducated, and young