Cve. Powell et Ra. Primhak, ASTHMA-TREATMENT, PERCEIVED RESPIRATORY DISABILITY, AND MORBIDITY, Archives of Disease in Childhood, 72(3), 1995, pp. 209-213
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.