Prevalence and socioeconomic associations of asthma and allergic rhinitis in Cairo, Egypt

¹ University of Birmingham
² Professor of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
³ Lecturer in Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.

	Abstract

1-What is the prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms in Cairo? 2-What are the socioeconomic factors associated with symptom prevalence and severity?

Translated and adapted version of the ISAAC questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 2645, 11-15 yr olds in state and fee paying schools in Cairo.

Overall prevalence of wheeze ever, wheeze during the last year and physician diagnosed asthma were 26.5% (697/2631), 14.7% (379/2570), 9.4% (246/2609). Prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis was 15.3% (399/2616). Asthma symptoms were independently associated with attendance at a state school, parental asthma, age, history of rhinitis and owning a pet cat. Rhinoconjunctivitis was independently associated with attendance at a state school, father's education, parental history of asthma, asthma symptoms and owning a pet cat. In spite of a higher prevalence of severe asthma symptoms in state schools prevalence of physician diagnosis of asthma was the same in both school types suggesting inequalities in access to health care.

Prevalence of physician diagnosed asthma in Cairo was 9.4%, prevalence of rhinoconjunctivitis was 15.3%. There is a higher prevalence and increased severity of asthma symptoms in children of lower socioeconomic group as defined by state school attendance in Cairo.