FACTORS AFFECTING UNCONTROLLED ASTHMAAMONG CHILD PATIENTS IN DAMMAM, AL-KHOBAR, 2020

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONAsthma is a chronic inammatory disease that usually begins at the early stages of life. The recurrent attacks of breathlessness and wheezing are characteristics of asthma and the severity of the signs varies from one person to another. AIM This study aimed to evaluate the most factors affecting control of asthma among child patients seen in public health and its relation to ER visits and admission. Patients and methods This is a cross-sectional study conducted among children who had a documented diagnosis of bronchial asthma conrmed by the le obtained from the Ministry of Health, Armed Forces Hospital, and King Fahad University Hospital in Dammam and Alkhobar. A selfadministered questionnaire was distributed among study subjects and written informed consent was explained to the parents. Asthma Control Test (ACT) questionnaire was used to measure the level of asthma control. RESULTS 119 children with asthma were able to recruit (50.4% males vs 49.6% females). The most commonly used for the treatment of asthma was inhalers (93.3%) specically Ventolin (64%) while the proportion of patients who were using nebulizers at home was 40.3%. Uncontrolled asthma was found among 25.2% and low adherence to medication was found among 84.9%. There was an inverse signicant correlation being observed between asthma control score and medication adherence score (r=-518; p<0.001). Factors associated with uncontrolled asthma were a history of allergy, 2 times or less admission to hospital, and the use of nebulizers at home. CONCLUSIONWhile one-fourth of children had uncontrolled asthma, however, their adherence to medication was low. Children with a previous history of allergy, those with increased hospital admission, and those who were using nebulizers at home had an increased risk of uncontrolled asthma.