(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Doha: Increased incidence of asthmatic attacks among children is common in Qatar at the beginning of winter and during sandstorms.

Besides genetics, several factors are associated with childhood asthma in Qatar, including obesity — 25 percent of asthmatic children were obese compared to 18 percent of the non-asthmatic controls —  respiratory infections (96%), and family history (86%). 

According to Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the general prevalence of asthma among Qatari children is estimated to be the same as the world average  — about 20 percent of children aged 6-14 years. 

Of these, approximately two-thirds of cases are reported among boys. In both males and females, the majority of these cases appear to be moderate in severity (57%) while the rest are either mild (28%) or severe (18%). 

In an article on ‘Tackling Childhood Asthma: The View from Qatar', Assistant Professor at the College of Health and Life Sciences at Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Dr. Kabir Hassan Biswas, explained that, 'In response, Qatar has applied a multi-pronged approach to tackling childhood asthma, which falls broadly under the rights of children, youth, and older persons of the Qatar National Vision 2030. First, the country's healthcare system, including HMC and the Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC), has elaborate protocols in place for the diagnosis and management of asthma in children. 

'Additionally, citizens intending to enter into a consanguineous marriage are required to undergo premarital screening in which they are evaluated for a variety of possible factors that might lead to asthma in their offspring. Finally, controlling sources and an overall reduction in air pollution is a key priority of strategic plans developed by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment (MME). Initiatives include a move towards cleaner energy and a greener economy, reducing energy consumption and preserving biodiversity, he wrote. 

Dr. Biswas also said that there are currently no cures for asthma, given the multi-factorial nature and heterogeneous symptoms with different etiologies and prognoses. Accordingly, appropriate management of the disease and reducing exposure to agents and triggers are the only strategies available to thwart this epidemic.

Children are especially susceptible to many diseases, including pathogenic microorganisms, genetic variations, and environmental factors. One of the most prevalent non-communicable diseases among children is asthma.

Childhood or paediatric asthma could affect almost 1 in 5 children worldwide, a trend that has increased over the past several decades. Widely regarded as a global epidemic, asthma also poses a significant financial burden, accounting for up to 2% of healthcare spending in developed countries. 

'While the underlying causes are not entirely clear, available evidence suggests that asthma is a multi-factorial disease, with environmental and host factors, and genetic susceptibility play a significant part, Dr. Biswas highlighted.

'For instance, some regions in the human genome containing various genes, including interleukins (immune cell-secreted protein factors that play a critical role in inflammation), have been associated with childhood asthma.

Host factors linked to asthma include allergic sensitization, frequent respiratory infections, obesity, family history, low birth weight, heavy physical activity, and nutritional factors. While these factors impact sufferers at the individual level, environmental problems such as air pollution, pollens, mould, and the weather impact at the population level, he added. 
 

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