RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Asthma control among adults in Saudi Arabia
JF Saudi Medical Journal
JO Saudi Med J
FD Prince Sultan Military Medical City
SP 599
OP 604
DO 10.15537/smj.2015.5.10929
VO 36
IS 5
A1 Abdulaziz A. BinSaeed
YR 2015
UL http://smj.org.sa/content/36/5/599.abstract
AB Objectives: To explore the determinants of uncontrolled asthma in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A consecutive series of adult asthma patients attending 3 pulmonary primary care clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for a scheduled appointment were interviewed. A multiple logistic regression analysis was used.Results: The proportion of patients with uncontrolled asthma was 68.1% (177/260). Daily tobacco smoking or monthly household income less than 15,000 Saudi Arabian Riyals were associated with a 4.6 (95% confidence interval [CI]=1.3-16.4) and 3.4 (95% CI=1.8-6.6) times increase in the odds of having uncontrolled asthma. Patients with less than a graduate degree (odds ratio [OR]=3.1; 95% CI=1.0-9.5) or patients who were unemployed, disabled, or too ill to work (OR=3.1; 95% CI=1.4-6.9) had poorer asthma control. Having heartburn during the past 4 weeks decreased the odds of asthma control by 2.5 (95% CI=1.3-4.9), and having chronic sinusitis during the past 4 weeks decreased the odds of asthma control by 2.0 (95% CI=1.0-4.0) times. Being female (OR=2.0; 95% CI=1.0-4.0) or ≥35 years of age (OR=2.0; 95% CI=1.0-3.9) was also associated with having uncontrolled asthma.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that most respondents had uncontrolled asthma. Less modifiable socio-demographic factors (for example, income, education, occupation, gender, and age) significantly increased the odds of having uncontrolled asthma. However, modifiable risk factors such as tobacco smoking and clinical factors such as heartburn and chronic sinusitis could also be targeted for intervention.