Prevalences of asthma and asthma related symptoms in urban community children aged 0-14 years in Beijing

Objective To invesitgate the prevalences of asthma and asthma related symptoms in urban community children aged 0-14 years in Beijing and to provide basis for prevention and control of asthma among the children in community.Methods With stratified random sampling method,3 886 children at age of 0-14 years in Desheng and Xichang'an community of Beijing were surveyed with a questionnaire on asthma diagnosis and symptoms in previous 12 months and allergy history such as rhinitis and eczema.The onset of early wheezing and the time of asthma diagnosis were answered by the responders with the history of diagnosed asthma.Results The prevalence of asthma was 2.88% and more than 5% of the children surveyed reported exercise-induced wheezing and/or night cough.More than 4% of the children suffered from respiratory infection six times or more in the previous year.The prevalences of diagnosed rhinitis and eczema were 11% and 21%,respectively.Conclusion In the last two decades,the prevalence of childhood asthma in urban area of Beijing increased.Newasthma cases were mainly children in kindergarten.There might be some children with underdiagosed asthma in the previous 12 months in urban community.