Prevalência de asma brônquica em crianças e fatores associados ao conhecimento materno da doença

Abstract

To identify the prevalence of asthma and some associated factors in children between 1 to 9 years old in an area covered by the Family Health Unit (FHU) Bom Jesus in Pelotas, RS, during 2007, by a cross-sectional study in which a questionnaire on asthma symptoms was applied (ISAAC – International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood). Children presenting 4 or more sibillus crises in the previous year, or 1 to 3 crises associated to disturbed sleep due to sibilance or night coughing and sibillus following physical exercises, were considered asthmatic. In the selected age group 1140 children were found. The prevalence of asthma was 22.6%. Children younger than 6 and those whose mothers were younger than 30 presented higher prevalence of asthma. There was no association with sex and skin color, in the studied population.The prevalence of active asthma was considered high, but within the average (20%) of values found in the participating centers of ISAAC in Brazil. The association of higher prevalence in c