Environmental Determinants of Bronchial Asthma among Saudi School Children in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Jobran M. Alqahtani, Ahmed M. Asaad, Nabil J. Awadalla and Ahmed A. Mahfouz
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Jobran M. Alqahtani: Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Najran University, Najran 1988, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed M. Asaad: Department of Clinical Microbiology, College of Medicine, Najran University, Najran 1988, Saudi Arabia
Nabil J. Awadalla: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
Ahmed A. Mahfouz: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia

IJERPH, 2016, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: The aim here was to study the possible environmental and dietary determinants of asthma among school-aged children in Southwestern Saudi Arabia. In a cross-sectional study on a representative sample in Najran in Southwestern Saudi Arabia using an Arabic version of the modified ISAAC Phase III, parent-administered questionnaire data were collected. Skin prick tests (SPTs) were performed. The study included 1700 school children, out of them 468 (27.5%) were diagnosed with, cases of bronchial asthma and 20.8% (353) reported a 12-month nocturnal cough (as a proxy of severe asthma). In multivariable analysis, the study identified the following risk factors for having asthma or severe asthma: having dogs in the house, being male, being exposed to dense truck traffic on the street, using wood as a cooking fuel, conducting vigorous exercise, consuming eggs, consuming vegetables, having an allergic sensitization to dog hair, and being exposed to Cladosporium , pigweed, and Bermuda grass. On the other hand, the following food stuffs were found to be protective: seafood, fruit, and dairy products. Comprehensive school educational programs for both children and their parents should be adopted to prevent the use of wood in cooking and heating, to ensure that house pets are properly cared for, and to encourage proper dietary habits. Physicians should be informed of the patterns of allergens in order to improve asthma diagnosis and management.

Keywords: school children asthma; environmental; dietary factors; Southwestern Saudi Arabia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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