ASTHMA-TREATMENT, PERCEIVED RESPIRATORY DISABILITY, AND MORBIDITY

An entire school year of 8-9 year old schoolchildren in Sheffield were surveyed using the core questions of the international study of asthm a and allergies in childhood in order to assess the morbidity associat ed with diagnosed asthma. Of 5321 children surveyed, replies were obta ined from 4539 (85.3%). A current diagnosis of asthma was reported in 466 (10.3%), and a further 6.4% reported symptoms compatible with sign ificant undiagnosed asthma. A validated questionnaire was used to asse ss symptoms and perceived disability in 336 (72.1%) of the children wi th diagnosed asthma. One third reported symptoms every day or most day s, while 15.3% reported frequent nocturnal symptoms. There was no sign ificant difference in reported symptoms between those receiving inhale d steroids, sodium cromoglycate, or no prophylaxis. Despite this, pare nts of children receiving inhaled steroids perceived more disability, and worried more about their children's health. It is concluded that p erceived symptoms and morbidity are high in children with diagnosed as thma, and speculate that level of treatment is determined by parental tolerance of symptoms as much as by the symptoms themselves.