International Journal of Epidemiology 2002;31:483-488
© International Epidemiological Association 2002
Cardiovascular Disease |
Self-reported asthma symptoms in children and adults of Bangladesh: findings of the National Asthma Prevalence Study
a Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh.
b Institute of Child & Mother Health, Matuail, Dhaka-1362, Bangladesh.
c National Institute of Cancer Research & Hospital, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh.
d Bangladesh Institute of Child Health (Shishu Hospital), Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.
M Rashidul Hassan, Institute of Diseases of the Chest and Hospital, Mohakhali, Dhaka-1212, Bangladesh. E-mail: asmaasso{at}bttb.net.bd, mrhassan{at}bangla.net
Abstract
Background No population-based studies to determine the magnitude of the asthma problem have been carried out in Bangladesh. This study aimed to define the prevalence of asthma as well as to identify the risk factors of asthma in the general population of Bangladesh.
Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1999 to August 1999 on 5642 Bangladeshi people. Data were collected from randomly selected primary sampling units of 8 municipality blocks of 4 large metropolitan cities, 12 municipality blocks of 6 district towns and 12 villages of 6 districts chosen randomly from all 64 districts of the country. Face-to-face interviews were performed with the housewives or other guardians at the household level using a structured questionnaire.
Results The prevalence of asthma (wheeze in the last 12 months) was 6.9% (95% CI : 6.2–7.6). The prevalence of other asthma definitions were: ever wheeze (lifetime wheeze) 8.0% (95% CI : 7.3–8.7); perceived asthma (perception of having asthma) 7.6% (95% CI : 6.9–8.3); doctor diagnosed asthma (diagnosis of asthma by any category of doctor either qualified or unqualified) 4.4% (95% CI : 3.9–4.9). The prevalence of asthma in children (5–14 years) was higher than in adults (15–44 years) (7.3% versus 5.3%; odds ratio [OR] = 1.41, 95% CI : 1.09–1.82). Asthma in children was found to be significantly higher in households with 
3 people than in larger households (OR = 2.20, 95% CI : 1.24–3.20). The low-income group (OR = 1.41, 95% CI : 1.04–1.92) and illiterate group (OR = 1.51, 95% CI : 1.01–2.24) were more vulnerable to asthma attacks than the high-income group and more educated people, respectively.
Conclusions Asthma in Bangladesh appears to be a substantial public health problem: an estimated 7 million people including 4 million children suffer from asthma-related symptoms.
Keywords Asthma, wheeze, prevalence, population-based study, Bangladesh
Accepted 1 August 2001
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  C. Braun-Fahrlander Commentary: Does the 'hygiene hypothesis' provide an explanation for the relatively low prevalence of asthma in Bangladesh? Int. J. Epidemiol., April 1, 2002; 31(2): 488 - 489. [Full Text] [PDF]
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