CHANGES IN ASTHMA PREVALENCE, SYMPTOMS, AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN SKOPJE, 2016–2026
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67214/9qjasx95Keywords:
Ashtma in adolescents, trend of ashtma and ashtma-related symptomAbstract
Background: Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in childhood, with considerable differences in prevalence and trends worldwide.
Objective: To assess asthma prevalence and changes over the 2016–2026 period among adolescents in Skopje, and to examine changes and associations with selected personal, family, behavioral, and environmental factors.
Materials and Methods: Data from two cross-sectional surveys conducted in Skopje in 2016 and 2026 were compared. Both surveys used the same standardized questionnaire on respiratory health and asthma. The analysis included 1,013 adolescents aged 12–15 years (690 in 2016 and 323 in 2026). Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0 and JASP version 0.98.1.
Results: The prevalence of doctor-diagnosed asthma was low (3.4%) and showed a slight increase, although the difference was not statistically significant. In contrast, several asthma-related symptoms increased significantly. Current wheeze increased from 5.5% to 9.9%, exercise-induced wheeze from 1.9% to 6.2%, and dry night cough from 9.6% to 20.7%. Measures of symptom severity also increased significantly. In the fully adjusted models, household dampness, maternal asthma, frequent fast-food consumption, paracetamol use, and truck traffic were positively associated with several asthma-related symptoms.
Conclusion: Asthma and asthma-related symptoms increased over the ten-year period, while underdiagnosis and inadequate treatment remained important concerns. The findings suggest a need for better education for healthcare professionals to improve asthma diagnosis and treatment, together with education of patients and parents on the regular and correct use of prescribed therapy.
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