Risk factors for asthma among schoolchildren who participated in a case-control study in urban Uganda

Mpairwe, H.; Namutebi, M.; Nkurunungi, G.; Tumwesige, P.; Nambuya, I.; Mukasa, M.; Onen, C.; Nnaluwooza, M.; Apule, B.; Katongole, T.; Oduru, G.; Kahwa, J.; Webb, E. L.; Lubyayi, L.; Pearce, N.; Elliott, A. M.

doi:10.1101/677799

bioRxiv · 10.1101/677799

Risk factors for asthma among schoolchildren who participated in a case-control study in urban Uganda

Mpairwe, H.·Namutebi, M.·Nkurunungi, G.·Tumwesige, P.·Nambuya, I.·Mukasa, M.·Onen, C.·Nnaluwooza, M.·Apule, B.·Katongole, T.·Oduru, G.·Kahwa, J.·Webb, E. L.·Lubyayi, L.·Pearce, N.·Elliott, A. M.

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Abstract

Data on asthma aetiology in Africa are scarce. We investigated the risk factors for asthma among schoolchildren (5-17years) in urban Uganda. We conducted a case-control study, enrolling 561 cases and 1,139 controls. Asthma was diagnosed by study clinicians.\n\nThe main risk factors for asthma were tertiary education for fathers [adjusted OR (95% CI); 2.49 (1.89-3.29)] and mothers [2.14 (1.64-2.78)]; area of residence at birth, with children born in a small town or in the city having an increased asthma risk compared to schoolchildren born in rural areas [2.00 (1.49-2.68)] and [2.82 (1.85-4.30)], respectively; fathers and mothers history of asthma; childrens own allergic conditions; atopy; and using gas/electricity for indoor cooking.\n\nAsthma was associated with a strong rural-town-city risk gradient, higher parental socio-economic status and urbanicity. This work provides the basis for future studies to identify specific environmental/lifestyle factors responsible for increasing asthma risk among children in urban areas in LMICs.

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Mpairwe, H., Namutebi, M., Nkurunungi, G., Tumwesige, P., Nambuya, I., Mukasa, M., Onen, C., Nnaluwooza, M., Apule, B., Katongole, T., Oduru, G., Kahwa, J., Webb, E. L., Lubyayi, L., Pearce, N., Elliott, A. M.. 2019-06-21. Risk factors for asthma among schoolchildren who participated in a case-control study in urban Uganda. https://doi.org/10.1101/677799

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