ArticleBMJ open respiratory research2023
Prevalence, severity and risk factors for asthma in school-going adolescents in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.
Article in BMJ open respiratory research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Outdoor air pollutants and asthma risk in adolescents: evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2025Pooled it
- Water-Energy-Food Security and Health in South Africa: A Scoping Review.JAMA network open · 2026Article
- Asthma prevalence, associated factors and role of adverse childhood experiences among school-going adolescents: the national School Health Survey in Togo (SHeST-study).BMJ open respiratory research · 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
- Five years of national airborne pollen monitoring in South Africa: biome-specific calendars to inform allergy diagnosis and prevention.Aerobiologia · 2026Article
- 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
- Prevalence and determinants of uncontrolled asthma among secondary school-going adolescents in Kampala City, Uganda: findings from a cross-sectional study.BMC pediatrics · 2025Article
- Prevalence of Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, and Eczema in Schoolchildren From Huambo, Angola: A Cross-Sectional Study.Health science reports · 2025Article
- Dietary Patterns in Relation to Asthma and Wheeze Among Adolescents in a South African Rural Community.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2025Article
- Household air pollution and respiratory health in Africa: persistent risk and unchanged health burdens.Current opinion in pulmonary medicine · 2025Review
- Prevalence of aeroallergen sensitization in a polluted and industrialized area: a pilot study in South Africa's Vaal Triangle.Environmental monitoring and assessment · 2025Article
- Impact of Solid Fuel Use on Household Air Pollution and Respiratory Health in Two Low-Income Communities in Mpumalanga, South Africa.Annals of global health · 2025Article
- Household fuel use and severe asthma symptoms among preschool children in Gauteng province, South Africa: a cross-sectional study.BMJ public health · 2024Article
- Short-term, lagged association of airway inflammation, lung function, and asthma symptom score with PMEnvironmental epidemiology (Philadelphia, Pa.) · 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
- Association between Outdoor and Indoor Air Pollution Sources and Atopic Eczema among Preschool Children in South Africa.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Linking common mental disorders and asthma in Brazilian adolescents: a cross-sectional analysis of the ERICA study.Jornal de pediatriaArticle
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAsthma remains highly prevalent, with more severe symptoms in low-income to middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with high-income countries. Identifying risk factors for severe asthma symptoms can assist with improving outcomes. We aimed to determine the prevalence, severity and risk factors for asthma in adolescents in an LMIC.
methodsA cross-sectional survey using the Global Asthma Network written and video questionnaires was conducted in adolescents aged 13 and 14 from randomly selected schools in Durban, South Africa, between May 2019 and June 2021.
resultsA total of 3957 adolescents (51.9% female) were included. The prevalence of lifetime, current and severe asthma was 24.6%, 13.7% and 9.1%, respectively. Of those with current and severe asthma symptoms; 38.9% (n=211/543) and 40.7% (n=147/361) had doctor-diagnosed asthma; of these, 72.0% (n=152/211) and 70.7% (n=104/147), respectively, reported using inhaled medication in the last 12 months. Short-acting beta agonists (80.4%) were more commonly used than inhaled corticosteroids (13.7%). Severe asthma was associated with: fee-paying school quintile (adjusted OR (CI)): 1.78 (1.27 to 2.48), overweight (1.60 (1.15 to 2.22)), exposure to traffic pollution (1.42 (1.11 to 1.82)), tobacco smoking (2.06 (1.15 to 3.68)), rhinoconjunctivitis (3.62 (2.80 to 4.67)) and eczema (2.24 (1.59 to 3.14)), all p<0.01.
conclusionAsthma prevalence in this population (13.7%) is higher than the global average (10.4%). Although common, severe asthma symptoms are underdiagnosed and associated with atopy, environmental and lifestyle factors. Equitable access to affordable essential controller inhaled medicines addressing the disproportionate burden of asthma is needed in this setting.
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