OBJECTIVETo understand childhood asthma from age 0 to 14 in Kaifeng city and the relevant risk factors, effects of therapy and costs.

METHODSEleven thousand children aged 0 to 14 were chosen in Gulou area, Shunhe area using cluster sampling.

RESULTS(1) The overall prevalence of childhood asthma was 1.16% sex ratio 1.72:1. Significant difference was found among every age group (P < 0.001), with the highest from 0 to 3, the prevalence rate in industrial area was significantly higher than that of residential area, with a ratio of 2.13:1 (P < 0.001). (2) Major relevant factors were found to be: history of hypersensitivity, upper respiratory infection and family history; while nationalities, history of contact with pets were not found to be related to childhood asthma (P > 0.05). (3) The expenditure was significantly different between non-specific therapy and specified therapy (P < 0.001). Among those children with asthma, 89.8% did not get specified treatment and the average expenditure was 2,375.2 Yuan per year, which was 10.2% of accepted specified therapy, namely under GINA program, with average expenditure 653.68 Yuan every year.

CONCLUSIONThe result of this study provided scientific basis for child asthma prevention and cure in this area.