Factors affecting the compliance of SLMA asthma prophylactic guidelines in children

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Guidelines to use prophylactic drugs in childhood asthma were laid down by SLMA in 1995. Yet a fair number of children we come across in clinical practice are not on prophylactic agents, though they are indicated. OBJECTIVE: To determine the compliance with SLMA asthm a prophylactic guidelines among patients admitted with asthma and to determine the socio-demographic factors affecting compliance. METHODS: All consecutive admissions to the university paediatric unit, Ragama Hospital between January 1996 and February 1998 with asthma (356) were included. Children admitted several times during the study period were included only on the 1st admission. Diagnosis of asthma was made clinically by-a consultant paediatrician. Details regarding frequency of asthma, severity, sleep disturbances, number of admissions to hospital, school absenteeism and use of prophylactic agents were obtained together with socio-demographic data. Chi-squared test was used as the statistical test. RESULTS: Only 18.2% of 251 children for whom asthma prophylactics were indicated were using prophylactic agents. 67.3% had one indication, 28.3% had two and 3.98% had three indications to use prophylaxis. Older age, male sex and monthly income of more than Rs.lO,000/= were found as significant factors for adhering to SLMA guidelines for asthma prophylaxis (p<0.05). Parental education and occupation did not show any significant association with the use of prophylaxis (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Among the children in this study, boys older children and children from households with a monthly income over Rs. 10,0007= were more likely to use prophylactics.