IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v21y2024i11p1536-d1525112.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Prevalence of Childhood Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms and Associated Air Pollution Sources Among Adolescent Learners in Selected Schools in Vhembe District, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Funzani Rathogwa-Takalani

    (Department of Advanced Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa
    School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Thabelo Rodney Mudau

    (Centre for Environmental and Occupational Health Research, School of Public Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7925, South Africa)

  • Sean Patrick

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
    University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Joyce Shirinde

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

  • Kuku Voyi

    (School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa)

Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence of childhood asthma and respiratory symptoms with their associated air pollution sources among adolescents aged 13–14 years residing in a Malaria-endemic region. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2855 adolescents from fourteen (14) selected schools in communities exposed to high levels of air pollution from indoor residual spraying (IRS) that is used for malaria vector control in the Vhembe region. Data were collected using a self-administered standardized International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire. Statistical software STATA version 17 was used to analyze the data. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between air pollution sources and childhood asthma/symptoms. Results: The prevalences of asthma, ‘wheeze ever’ and ‘wheeze in the past’ were 18.91%, 37.69% and 24.69%, respectively. The results from the adjusted binary logistic regression model indicated that exposure to tobacco smoke (OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.08–3.16), smoking a water pipe (OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.16–2.36) and the use of paraffin as fuel for heating (OR = 1.70; 95% CI: 0.97–2.88) and cooking (OR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.29–1.00) were significant risk factors for asthma. Trucks passing through the streets, having a cat at home and using open fires were significantly associated with ‘wheeze in the past’. Finally, using gas for cooking (OR = 0.72; 95% CI: 0.53–0.99), open fires for heating (OR = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.35–0.80) and smoking a water pipe (OR = 2.47; 95% CI: 1.78–3.44) were associated with ‘wheeze ever’. Conclusions: School children living in these communities had an increased risk of developing asthma and presenting with wheezing due to exposure to environmental air pollution sources.

Suggested Citation

  • Funzani Rathogwa-Takalani & Thabelo Rodney Mudau & Sean Patrick & Joyce Shirinde & Kuku Voyi, 2024. "The Prevalence of Childhood Asthma, Respiratory Symptoms and Associated Air Pollution Sources Among Adolescent Learners in Selected Schools in Vhembe District, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(11), pages 1-16, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:11:p:1536-:d:1525112
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/11/1536/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/11/1536/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shohreh F. Farzan & Mitiasoa Razafy & Sandrah P. Eckel & Luis Olmedo & Esther Bejarano & Jill E. Johnston, 2019. "Assessment of Respiratory Health Symptoms and Asthma in Children near a Drying Saline Lake," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(20), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Abike O. Olajide-Ibiejugba & Vusumuzi Nkosi & Funzani Takalani-Rathogwa & Joyce Shirinde & Janine Wichmann & Robin J. Green & Kuku Voyi, 2021. "Allergy and Household Living Conditions among Adolescents Living near Gold Mine Tailing Dumps in the Gauteng and North West Provinces of South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Rodney Mudau & Kuku Voyi & Joyce Shirinde, 2024. "Prevalence of Wheezing and Its Association with Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Rural and Urban Preschool Children in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-20, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ortiz, Gabriela & Rodriguez, Sophia & Pozar, María & Moran, Ashley & Cheney, Ann, 2024. "Seeking care across the US-Mexico border: The experiences of Latinx and Indigenous Mexican caregivers of children with asthma or respiratory distress," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).
    2. Ann Marie Cheney & Tatiana Barrera & Katheryn Rodriguez & Ana María Jaramillo López, 2022. "The Intersection of Workplace and Environmental Exposure on Health in Latinx Farm Working Communities in Rural Inland Southern California," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-16, October.
    3. Rodney Mudau & Kuku Voyi & Joyce Shirinde, 2024. "Prevalence of Wheezing and Its Association with Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure among Rural and Urban Preschool Children in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(4), pages 1-20, April.
    4. Michelle Wong & Alexa Wilkie & Catalina Garzón-Galvis & Galatea King & Luis Olmedo & Esther Bejarano & Humberto Lugo & Dan Meltzer & Daniel Madrigal & Mariana Claustro & Paul English, 2020. "Community-Engaged Air Monitoring to Build Resilience Near the US-Mexico Border," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-18, February.
    5. Ann Marie Cheney & Gabriela Ortiz & Ashley Trinidad & Sophia Rodriguez & Ashley Moran & Andrea Gonzalez & Jaír Chavez & María Pozar, 2023. "Latinx and Indigenous Mexican Caregivers’ Perspectives of the Salton Sea Environment on Children’s Asthma, Respiratory Health, and Co-Presenting Health Conditions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-15, June.
    6. Ryan G. Sinclair & Josileide Gaio & Sahara D. Huazano & Seth A. Wiafe & William C. Porter, 2024. "A Balloon Mapping Approach to Forecast Increases in PM10 from the Shrinking Shoreline of the Salton Sea," Geographies, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-11, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:11:p:1536-:d:1525112. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.