ASTHMATIC CHILDREN;

Knowledge and practices in the parents.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the knowledge and practice of parents of children with
Asthma. Introduction: Asthma is a disease characterized by recurrent attacks of breathlessness
and wheezing typically begins in early childhood with an earlier onset in males than females. Life
time prevalence of asthma is 13.5% and current asthma prevalence of 9.3% among children <18
years. According to WHO 15 million disability adjusted life years (DALY) are lost annually due to
Asthma. Prevalence of asthma in Pakistani children is 19%. Due to rapid industrialization and
urbanization prevalence of Asthma has increased from 9 t0 20% during the last decade. This
study was conducted to assess the extent of knowledge and practice which are associated with
the control of Asthma. Methodology: It was descriptive cross sectional study conducted in ED,
Pediatric unit CHK. Sampling was convenience and the study duration six months. One hundred
and twenty parents of asthmatic children from 4-13 years of age were selected. Results: Average
age of the children was 7.69±2.58 years (95% CI: 7.23 to 8.16) and average duration of illness
was 3.08±2.0 years (95% CI: 2.69 to 3.45). Minimum duration was two years and maximum ten
years. One hundred and four mothers (86.7%) and 16 fathers(13.3%) participated in the study.
Over all asthma knowledge and practice of parents was adequate in 20(16.7%), inadequate in
46(39.3%) and average in 54(45%). Conclusions: Asthma knowledge especially about the
management is inadequate and practices are also inappropriate in the urban population of
Karachi.