Asthma and respiratory symptoms among school children in United Arab Emirates

Allerg Immunol (Paris). 2000 Apr;32(4):159-63.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of asthma, wheezing, hay fever, and eczema among primary school children aged 6-13 years in United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design: A cross-sectional study on school children was performed using the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaires.

Setting: Government primary school children in seven Emirates, in UAE.

Subjects: Subjects were selected by a multi-stage stratified sampling design. 4200 children targeted for this study, but only 3200 children aged 6-13 years were agreed to participate and responded to the study. The overall response rate was 69.8%.

Results: The prevalence of physician diagnosed asthma was 13%, in addition, the wheeze by history was 15.6%. Furthermore, the prevalence of nocturnal cough was 21%. On the other hand, the prevalence of eczema was 11% and hay fever was 14.9%. Parental asthma but not parental atopy was associated with an increased risk of asthma and wheezing in children.

Conclusions: The prevalence of asthma and wheezing in UAE is consistent with that in neighbouring Gulf countries.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Asthma / epidemiology*
  • Child
  • Cough / epidemiology
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Eczema / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prevalence
  • Respiratory Sounds
  • Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / epidemiology
  • United Arab Emirates / epidemiology