ArticleERJ open research2021
Asthma in South African adolescents: a time trend and risk factor analysis over two decades.
Article in ERJ open research, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 28 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence of asthma and allergic rhinitis in children exposed to pets: a meta-analysis.European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · 2024Pooled it
- Water-Energy-Food Security and Health in South Africa: A Scoping Review.JAMA network open · 2026Article
- The role of objective testing in urban adolescents with asthma symptoms in an African centre.BMC pediatrics · 2026Article
- South African Thoracic Society position statement on asthma in children, adolescents and adults.African journal of thoracic and critical care medicine · 2026Article
- Asthma in African children and adolescents: Burden, barriers, and management strategies.African journal of thoracic and critical care medicine · 2026Review
- Anti-inflammatory reliever therapy for asthma using inhaled budesonide/formoterol as-needed with or without maintenance in South African children (AIR-SA 001): a description of a randomised clinical trial protocol.BMJ open respiratory research · 2025Article
- A Study Protocol to Assess the Association Between Ambient Air Pollution and Asthma and Other Respiratory Health Outcomes Amongst Children Below 5 Years of Age in Alexandra Township's Early Childhood Development Centers, Johannesburg.Methods and protocols · 2025Article
- Evaluation and determinants of asthma control among adult patients with asthma attending the Johannesburg academic respiratory clinics: A cross-sectional study.African journal of thoracic and critical care medicine · 2025Article
- Short-term, lagged association of airway inflammation, lung function, and asthma symptom score with PMEnvironmental epidemiology (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 2024Article
- Household fuel use and severe asthma symptoms among preschool children in Gauteng province, South Africa: a cross-sectional study.BMJ public health · 2024Article
- The Prevalence of Childhood Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms and Associated Air Pollution Sources Among Adolescent Learners in Selected Schools in Vhembe District, South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Maternal exposure to pyrethroid insecticides during pregnancy and respiratory allergy symptoms among children participating in the Venda Health Examination of Mothers, Babies and their Environment (VHEMBE).Environmental research · 2024Article
- Over-the-counter use of short-acting beta-2 agonists: a systematic review.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2023Review
- A cross-country qualitative analysis of teachers' perceptions of asthma care in sub-Saharan Africa.NPJ primary care respiratory medicine · 2023Article
- Prevalence, severity and risk factors for asthma in school-going adolescents in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.BMJ open respiratory research · 2023Article
- Immunogenetics and pharmacogenetics of allergic asthma in Africa.Frontiers in allergy · 2023Review
- Challenges in the diagnosis of asthma in children, what are the solutions? A scoping review of 3 countries in sub Saharan Africa.Respiratory research · 2022Article
- Parental Education Moderates the Relation between Physical Activity, Dietary Patterns and Atopic Diseases in Adolescents.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Over-prescription of short-acting βAfrican journal of thoracic and critical care medicine · 2022Article
- Lung Function in Preschool Children in Low and Middle Income Countries: An Under-Represented Potential Tool to Strengthen Child Health.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSouth Africa has undergone major economic and health system changes, impacting the epidemiology of childhood asthma. This study aimed to investigate prevalence time trends of asthma in South African adolescents over two decades and to identify associated risk factors.
methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2017, in a randomised sample of 13-14-year-old Cape Town adolescents, using the standardised Global Asthma Network written, video and environmental questionnaires. Using time-trend analysis, the prevalence and severity of asthma were compared with data from the 2002 ISAAC phase III study. Environmental and social risk factors were analysed.
resultsA total of 3979 adolescents were included. The prevalence of lifetime and current asthma were 34.5% and 21.3%, respectively, on the self-report written questionnaire, similar to 2002 results. The prevalence of severe asthma in the previous 12 months increased, measured by wheeze limiting speech (7.8% to 11.8%), four or more attacks of wheezing (5.0% to 5.8%) or woken by wheeze on one or more nights per week (5.0% to 6.9%). The video questionnaire revealed increases in lifetime (16.9% to 22.5%), current (11.2% to 18.7%) and severe asthma (12.1% to 14.8%). Multivariate analysis showed associations between current asthma and smoking, female sex, pet exposure and higher socioeconomic status. Severe asthma was associated with smoking, pet exposure, outdoor pollution exposure and informal housing; 33% of those with severe or current asthma had been diagnosed.
conclusionThe prevalence of asthma is high, with increasing rates of severe asthma in adolescents. Underdiagnosis is a major concern and reduction in exposure to environmental factors, particularly smoking, and improved socioeconomic development are needed.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.