Prevalence of Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis, and Eczema in Schoolchildren From Huambo, Angola: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Aims

Asthma is the most common chronic non-communicable disease in children with a higher prevalence in high-income countries, however, the majority of asthma-related deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, including Angola. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of asthma and allergic diseases among schoolchildren in Huambo, Angola's fourth most populous province.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out in April and May 2022 among schoolchildren aged 6–14 using the ISAAC methodology. The questionnaire included questions on asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema symptoms, as well as environmental exposure and risk factors. Twenty schools were randomly selected. χ² tests and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses examined associations between categorical variables. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

The final sample included 1807 schoolchildren, all of whom lived in an urban area, 52.2% were girls, with a mean age of 11.9 ± 2.92 years, and 21.3% of whose parents were illiterate. Current asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema prevalence were 7.7%, 23.7%, and 15.8%, respectively, and none of the schoolchildren with asthma were regularly followed up by a physician or were medicated for asthma. The mother's educational level was positively associated with asthma (p = 0.022) and eczema (p = 0.042) prevalence, while having allergic rhinitis was positively associated with older schoolchildren (p < 0.001). Concerning the risk factors studied, schoolchildren with allergic rhinitis [AOR: 3.88 (95%CI 2.67–5.64); p < 0.001] and eczema [AOR: 2.99 (95%CI 2.02–4.41); p < 0.001] had a significant risk of having asthma.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate a significant burden of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema among the schoolchildren studied, underscoring the need to address this critical public health issue.