Asthma In Rural Areas Research Articles

An observational retrospective study on the prevalence of childhood asthma in rural areas of Kanyakumari

Asthma is a significant non-communicable illness imposing a substantial burden on the health system globally. Approximately 300 million people worldwide have asthma, and it's anticipated that another 100 million will have it by 2025. Being the most prevalent chronic illness in children, asthma is a major reason for missed school days, sleep disturbances, and activity limitations. It is a significant health problem in developing countries like India. Information on the prevalence of childhood asthma in India's rural areas is still lacking. Hence, the objective of this retrospective study is to observe the trends in the prevalence of childhood Bronchial Asthma in Kanyakumari District, Tamilnadu and to find out the most commonly indicated homoeopathic remedy for childhood asthma. A retrospective observational study was done on 44 cases of childhood asthma taken between January and December 2021 from the Out-Patient Department of Sarada Krishna Homoeopathic Medical College. This study concluded that children above 10 years are more prone to develop Bronchial Asthma and the most commonly indicated medicine is Arsenicum album, and the most frequently used potency is 0/6.

Prevalence and Treatment of Children's Asthma in Rural Areas Compared with Urban Areas in Beijing

Background:The prevalence of childhood asthma has been increasing in China. This study aimed to compare the prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of asthmatic children from urban and rural areas in Beijing, China.Methods:Schools, communities, and kindergartens were randomly selected by cluster random sampling from urban and rural areas in Beijing. Parents were surveyed by the same screening questionnaires. On-the-spot inquiries, physical examinations, medical records, and previous test results were used to diagnose asthmatic children. Information on previous diagnoses, treatments, and control of symptoms was obtained.Results:From 7209 children in rural areas and 13,513 children in urban areas who completed screening questionnaires, 587 children were diagnosed as asthma. The prevalence of asthma in rural areas was lower than in urban areas (1.25% vs. 3.68%, χ2 = 100.80, P < 0.001). The diagnosis of asthma in rural areas was lower than in urban areas (48.9% vs. 73.9%, χ2 = 34.6, P < 0.001). Compared with urban asthmatic children (56.5%), only 35.6% of rural asthmatic children received inhaled corticosteroids (P < 0.05). The use of bronchodilators was also lower in rural areas than in urban areas (56.5% vs. 66.4%, χ2 = 14.2, P < 0.01).Conclusion:The prevalence of asthma in children was lower in rural areas compared with children in the urban area of Beijing. A considerable number of children were not diagnosed and inadequately treated in rural areas.

Developing a web-based education program for people with asthma in rural and remote areas

Introduction A needs analysis was conducted to investigate barriers to optimal emergency asthma care in rural Australia. The findings revealed that utilisation of ambulance services for asthma was suboptimal despite improved outcomes in cases where paramedic intervention was sought. Asthma Foundations of Australia funded the development, implementation and evaluation of the `Ambulances for Asthma’ program to address this issue. This paper aims to describe the role the community played in the development and evaluation of the program. The key domains of pedagogy, format, usability, navigation, interactivity and delivery have been utilised to provide a framework for program review. Methods A Project Steering Group comprising key stakeholders was convened to establish best practice management of out-of-hospital asthma in rural areas. A multimedia education package incorporating a website, brochure/CD and poster was developed. Human-computer interface testing and focus groups were used to refine the program pre-implementation. Evaluation questionnaires and focus groups were utilised post implementation. Results The vast majority (76%) of respondents agreed that the program was user friendly. A large proportion (90.5%) of participants felt more confident with their asthma knowledge and 64% of the participants were more likely to call an ambulance for their asthma as a result of the education package. Conclusion The use of community based feedback to develop and refine the `Ambulances for Asthma’ program resulted in high levels of user satisfaction. The findings show that the program has potential as a decision aid for people with asthma in rural Australia.

A Comparison Of Asthma Prevalence and Severity Among Urban and Rural African American Teenage Youth

The high prevalence of asthma in African American (AA) populations residing in urban areas of the United States has attracted major attention and research, yet the prevalence of asthma in rural areas is poorly documented.

Risk Factors for Asthma in a Helminth Endemic Area in Bahia, Brazil

Protective factors associated with atopy or asthma in rural areas include socioeconomic level, overcrowding, and helminth infection. However, little epidemiological information was originated from schistosomiasis areas. This study aimed to investigate factors associated with asthma in a schistosomiasis endemic area. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on demographics, socioeconomic, and environmental features. The ISAAC questionnaire was used to identify individuals with asthma. Parasitological exam was done in all participants and skin prick test to aeroallergens in all asthmatics. Prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni infection was 57.4% and Ascaris lumbricoides, 30.8%. Asthma was found in 13.1% of the population, and 35.1% of them had a positive SPT. Active and passive smoking was positively associated with asthma, whereas A. lumbricoides was negatively associated. In a schistosomiasis hyperendemic region, current infection with A. lumbricoides is protective against asthma. However, we cannot rule out the involvement of S. mansoni infection in this process.

A Pilot Study of Decision-Making Quality and Risk Behaviors in Rural Adolescents with Asthma

Asthma is a common chronic condition in adolescents. Despite chronic health conditions, adolescents are at great risk for substance-using risk behaviors such as smoking, alcohol use, and illicit drug use. Adolescents' decision-making quality may influence their risk behaviors. To date little is known about the extent to which rural adolescents with asthma engage in risk behaviors using substances beyond smoking and the association between risk behaviors and decision-making quality. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the decision-making quality and to explore the extent of substance-using risk behaviors among adolescents with asthma in rural areas. Data were collected from 41 subjects ages 14–20 years in 2005–2006 using the Decision-Making Quality Scale and the Periodic Assessment of Drug Use. Cross-sectional descriptive analyses were performed to calculate the rates of decision-making quality and risk behavior. Approximately 50% were found to be quality decision makers, and non-whites reported ...

Asthma in rural America

To examine current trends of asthma prevalence, diagnosis, and utilization of care in rural areas, increase awareness about asthma disease burden, and provide general recommendations for improving care in this setting. MEDLINE searches were conducted for articles published from 1966 onward, with human subjects and the English language as descriptors. Other terms used included undiagnosed frequent wheezing, hygiene hypothesis, atopic sensitization, endotoxin, telemedicine, and asthma prevalence and care in rural or urban areas. Review and original research studies that reported on asthma care in rural areas were selected for evaluation. Contrary to common belief, evidence suggests that asthma prevalence of rural and urban youth is comparable in the United States and may indeed be higher in rural areas. Data are not available to determine prevalence rates for rural adults in the United States. This review presents data suggesting that the utilization of asthma care among rural and urban residents may not be comparable. Rural residents are confronted with certain barriers to care that are not as common in the urban setting. These include lack of health care insurance, geographic obstacles to obtaining care, inability of getting suitable appointments, scarcity of health care professionals, and poor access to information about asthma. Current literature suggests that asthma in rural areas may be underdiagnosed and deserves additional study. Improving formal and continuing education of health care professionals, compensating for health care shortages by using existing resources, and facilitating patient support and education are some of the ways to address the special needs faced by rural residents.