OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence rate and risk factors for asthma in children from the Futian District of Shenzhen, China who were aged from 0-14 years between 2010 and 2011, and to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of childhood asthma.

METHODSA multistage stratified cluster sampling survey of 7168 children aged 0-14 years from the Futian District of Shenzhen was conducted using the Third National Childhood Asthma Epidemiological Questionnaire 2010, to investigate the prevalence rate of childhood asthma. A case-control study (1∶1) and logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the risk factors for childhood asthma.

RESULTSOf the 7168 children surveyed, 169 were diagnosed with asthma, with a total prevalence rate of 2.36%. The prevalence rate was higher in males than in females (3.06% vs 1.55%, P<0.01). Of the 169 cases, 115 (68.1%) had their first asthma attack before the age of 3 years, 95 (56.2%) had moderate attacks, 159 (94.1%) had sudden attacks, 86 (50.9%) suffered from asthma during periods of seasonal change, 97 (57.4%) had attacks before going to bed, 157 (92.9%) suffered from asthma caused by respiratory infection, and 159 (94.1%) had sneezing as the sign of oncoming attack. The case-control study (including the 169 asthma cases and 169 healthy children) and logistic regression analysis both showed that the independent risk factors for asthma in children were a personal history of drug allergy (OR=3.431, 95%CI: 1.240-9.496, P=0.018), a history of food allergy (OR=4.043, 95%CI: 1.669-9.795, P= 0.002), allergic rhinitis (OR=9.686, 95%CI: 5.137-18.263, P<0.001), and a family history of allergy (OR=4.059, 95%CI: 2.054-8.018, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence rate of asthma was 2.36% in children aged 0-14 years in the Futian District of Shenzhen between 2010 and 2011. The prevalence rate had not increased when compared with the rate in this region 10 years earlier (2.39%). The prevalence rate of childhood asthma is higher in males than in females. Personal history of drug allergy, food allergy, allergic rhinitis and a family history of allergy are the independent risk factors for childhood asthma in this region.