RESUMO
The occurrence of asthma has been observed to be related to several factors of which hereditary, familial tendency, allergy, infection, environmental, social and psychological factors are of particular importance. This study aimed at identifying social, genetic, physical, chemical and biological indoor environmental risk factors in relation to asthma. This study was conducted on 237 cases aged three to four years and 237 controls of the same age who were free from asthma. After a thorough clinical assessment, a pre-coded questionnaire was used to collect information from parents of both cases and controls. Analysis of results showed that the following are significant risk factors: smoking fathers, use of a radiant in the child's room, the presence of other smokers in home, exposure to dust as well as animal contact. A history of upper respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, infantile eczema, no breast feeding, early weaning, introduction of cow's milk in the first year of life, family history of asthma and consanguineous parents were also significsnt risk factors