Epidemiological study on childhood asthma aged 0 to 14, in Kaifeng city / 中华流行病学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To understand childhood asthma from age 0 to 14 in Kaifeng city and the relevant risk factors, effects of therapy and costs.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eleven thousand children aged 0 to 14 were chosen in Gulou area, Shunhe area using cluster sampling.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) The overall prevalence of childhood asthma was 1.16% sex ratio 1.721. Significant difference was found among every age group (P < 0.001), with the highest from 0 to 3, the prevalence rate in industrial area was significantly higher than that of residential area, with a ratio of 2.131 (P < 0.001). (2) Major relevant factors were found to be history of hypersensitivity, upper respiratory infection and family history; while nationalities, history of contact with pets were not found to be related to childhood asthma (P > 0.05). (3) The expenditure was significantly different between non-specific therapy and specified therapy (P < 0.001). Among those children with asthma, 89.8% did not get specified treatment and the average expenditure was 2,375.2 Yuan per year, which was 10.2% of accepted specified therapy, namely under GINA program, with average expenditure 653.68 Yuan every year.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The result of this study provided scientific basis for child asthma prevention and cure in this area.</p>