Original scientific paper
Incidence of Asthma in Children in Tuzla Canton – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Amela Pašić
Husref Tahirović
Mensur Hadžibeganović
Abstract
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases whose incidence shows constant growth in childhood. The objective
of this work was to look into asthma incidence in children in relation to their age group and sex in a retrospective
study, at Tuzla Canton area. The study comprised children of both sexes, age 0–14 who fell sick with asthma within the
period from January 1st 2003 to December 31st 2007. The overall incidence and the incidence in relation to age group
and sex was calculated as the number of children suffering from asthma, within the age group 0–14 years per 1000 children
of the same age group in the Tuzla Canton. Asthma was diagnosed in 277 children (66.1% male and 33.9% female).
The difference between asthma frequency in boys and girls was significant (c
2=56.16; df=1; p<0.0001). The average difference
in proportion between the boys and girls was 32.2% (95% CI=24.32–40.08). From this sample group the boys had
a 3.8 times greater risk (OR=3.79; %95 CI=2.67–5.39) of contracting asthma. The average rate of incidence of asthma
for both sexes in the observed period was 0.67/1000 (95% CI; 0.6–0.7; for boys 0.86/1000; for girls 0.47/1000). There was a
statistically significantly higher incidence of asthma in boys in relation to girls (t=6.3836, df=32; p<0.0001). The epidemiological
data obtained could be useful for early detection and adequate treatment of children with asthma in the mentioned
area.
Keywords
asthma; children; incidence; Tuzla canton Introduction Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases whose incidence and prevalence in childhood and adulthood is showing constant growth in almost all countries around the world. It is estimated that almost 300 million people all over the world suffer from asthma (15% of them are children). In the USA about 17 million of the population (6.4%) suffer from asthma; and of that number almost 5 million are children younger than 181. Asthma is the most common reason for missing school in the USA. It is also the most common reason for seeking urgent medical help and hospitalisation.Within the period from 1980 to 1993 the rate of mortality from asthma doubled2. In many European countries in 1970–1990 asthma prevalence in children increased by more than 200%3. Asthma is a pressing problem because financial allocations for asthma management are significant. For example; in the USA public-health allocations for asthma are around
Hrčak ID:
68933
URI
Publication date:
24.6.2011.
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